Love Has No Rhyme and No Reason
by LaCorelli
Summary: NWZ. One night, while alone with Diego in an abandoned windmill, Victoria figures out his secret, and everything changes. AU Story Series. Now up: A Woman Scorned. Wicked women are a particular challenge for Zorro.
1. One Special Night

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it, not a bit of it, because if I did, "One Special Night" would have definitely ended another way, and Victoria and Diego would have been married by the end of the series.

**Summary:** One night, while alone with Diego in an abandoned windmill, Victoria figures out his secret, and everything changes.

**Author's Notes:** The inevitable "One Special Night" AU story, though I intend to cover much more than just this episode. Was there any other story besides "An Affair to Remember" that called out more strongly for a different ending? I've read quite a few, and I do like most of them. A lot involve Victoria getting angry which I find very believable and even probable. However, since I find her general blindness in the series frustrating especially since it is clear that she has strong feelings for Diego as well as Zorro, I thought it might be interesting to have Victoria be able to figure it out on her own, and while understanding the difficulties, not accept his having to be Zorro as an excuse for them to remain apart.

I know none of this is very original, but I still couldn't resist, nor could I resist the idea of exploring how the stories might change if the relationship of Victoria and Diego changed, especially the episodes that would be radically affected by such an alteration of events. I know that's not original either, but I hope that this will be at least entertaining.

Also, the show had a very loose relationship with continuity, so since they didn't care, I'm not going to either and thus I'm putting most of the episodes in production order, which puts "One Special Night" near the end of season 2 and gives me most of season 3 and all of season 4 to play with.

Roughly speaking this chapter will be taking place sometime after "The Old Flame"— which is another season 3 story produced during season 2— and before "Devil's Fortress" which also means definitely before "A New Lease on Love." Season 3 stories that were produced in season 2 before "One Special Night" and which will be treated as happening before are, in production order, "The Old Flame," "Alejandro Rides Again," "Heir Apparent," and "Armed & Dangerous." Basically, I'm treating "One Special Night" as the penultimate story of season 2, with "Devil's Fortress" as the finale.

Once upon a time, well, after the one time I started posting a story and then took three years to finish the relatively short piece, I've sworn never to start posting another uncompleted story. And technically this isn't, as I consider this a series of interconnected stories. Each chapter will be relatively stand alone, like the episodes themselves, just with a little more inter-episode continuity than the actual series. Also, I don't intend to cover every episode, as some of them I don't feel would be overly affected one way or another by a change in Diego and Victoria's relationship, but I do intend to work my way to the end of the series, eventually.

Also, I need to express my gratitude for PamZ's episode transcripts; they do make this easier (it helps to be able to check the dialogue even when I'm changing it), and also without them, I wouldn't know what was missing from the DVD releases.

And finally, I need to thank Ghetto Outlaw for putting up with being my sounding board and getting roped into being my beta reader as well as occasional collaborator.

**Love Has No Rhyme and No Reason**

**It Started One Night**

**(One Special Night)**

Victoria sat on the bench feeling confused and more than a little guilty. Today had been such a strange day. Ever since she and Diego had left Santa Paula, she had been fighting off feelings she thought had vanished when she'd fallen in love with Zorro. Diego had been so different today. Determined, persuasive, forceful, something she'd only rarely glimpsed in him since the day he'd gotten back from Madrid.

He was like the Diego she remembered when they were young, the one she'd decided at the age of fourteen that she was going to marry when they were old enough. The one who seemed to vanish so soon after returning home— in fact, who seemed to have disappeared the moment Zorro arrived.

Was that really a coincidence? She started to push the thought back as she had so many times before, but for once wondered _why_ she didn't want to consider it. Zorro and Diego. Diego and Zorro. The two most important men in her life, so different, and yet— this was the part she was having difficulty with— so much alike. It was as if she'd suddenly realized that two apparently different doors might lead to precisely the same room.

Zorro was so much like the old Diego— brave, heroic, dashing. She'd always known that had been a large part of the reason she'd fallen in love with Zorro in the first place, though she'd never admit it to a soul. So why couldn't it be that Zorro really was Diego? Was it that she felt that Diego only thought of her as a friend or little sister and not as someone to be courted?

Diego came back inside with more wood for the fire. It really was cold. She wrapped her arms around herself to try to fight off the chill and the wish that he'd just put his arms around her.

"It's getting worse out there," he said, standing back up and rubbing his hands together to warm them.

Victoria stared at him for a moment, wondering before being distracted again by the cold. Then suddenly, Diego reached down and pulled her to her feet. Startled, she looked at his face, his lowered eyes not really hiding an expression of longing there. For a moment, it seemed as if he might kiss her, but then as suddenly as the look appeared it vanished, leaving Victoria feeling strangely bereft and wondering if she'd imagined it. She'd so often wanted him to kiss her in the past that she no longer trusted her judgement on the matter.

"Excuse me," he said, moving her to the side and picking up the bench before setting it on end near the fire. "Right." He moved over to their luggage and grabbed a blanket. "I'm glad we brought these blankets." He laid one down.

Apparently, she _had_ imagined it. How could he be so cool if he felt anything at all? But there was a nagging doubt in the back of her mind. If her incredible thought was true, then he was very good at hiding what he felt and who he was.

"You mean we're spending the night here?" Victoria asked incredulously.

She didn't relish spending the night on the floor of a cold, abandoned windmill. On the other hand, she was alone with Diego and perhaps she could finally figure out what had changed him so much— or if he really was the man in the mask. Right now she wanted him to be more than anything. If nothing else, it would stop her feeling so guilty about being so strongly attracted to two apparently different men. She watched Diego as he moved; he seemed to be going out of his way to appear as harmless as possible, as if he didn't want her to get nervous.

"Well, the storm doesn't give us much choice," he said lightly, spreading out a second blanket a short way from the first. "There, that will make the floor more comfortable." After he finished he grabbed the bench and placed it between the blankets.

Victoria couldn't help asking, "And what is this?"

Diego picked up a sack and dropped it at the head of one blanket as he spoke. "Your side." He dropped another bag on the other blanket. "My side."

"How very proper," Victoria said. How like Diego to behave like that. He was always so concerned about propriety. Definitely more than she was. But was it just about being proper or some other reason? She was feeling confused, and she was starting to suspect Diego of being the best actor she'd ever known.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he replied.

Victoria was annoyed. Stomping down on the feeling that she would very much like for him to behave improperly, she replied in a harsher tone than she meant, "And neither would I."

She watched in disbelief as he just lay down on the blanket, facing away from her side of the room. He looked up at her with an obnoxiously cheerful face and said, "good night," before lying back down and closing his eyes. For a long moment, Victoria stared at him unable to believe it, until the thought crossed her mind that he might be afraid to sit and talk with her alone, and that was why he was in such a hurry to go to sleep. She hoped it wasn't wishful thinking on her part, but her earlier suspicions just wouldn't go away.

Sitting down on the end of the bench, she stared at the fire as thought after thought raced through her head. First, the obvious physical similarities. Both were tall with blue eyes and mustaches. It was ridiculous that she hadn't put that together. Or had she tried to ignore the fact that she'd fallen for a man who reminded her of the Diego she'd once known?

And why would he court her as Zorro and not as himself? After all, it would only be safe for her to marry Zorro if he was able to finally remove the mask, and she was beginning to wonder if that day would ever come. Even if justice came to Los Angeles, it might never be a good idea for Zorro to reveal his identity. Too many villains had been brought to justice by him, and too many brash swordsmen would want to challenge him. Not to mention that if the political winds changed again, he could find himself a hunted man, this time with no other identity to flee to. And how did he expect her to react to finding out who was hiding behind that mask? To know that her best friend, a man who certainly could have courted and won her, chose instead to flirt from behind a mask. So why?

And pieces of the answer began to fall into place as her thoughts jumped around. He'd probably never expected to be Zorro so long and hadn't thought about the consequences of unmasking Zorro any more than she had. Maybe he'd been as caught up in her infatuation with Zorro as she had been. With a sigh, she realized that Diego had probably never known how she'd felt about him before he left for Spain, or how much she'd been looking forward to his return.

After all, she had always gone to great pains to hide her feelings for Diego. First to keep her brothers from teasing her or worse keep her away from him and second to protect herself if Diego never saw her as anything more than a friend. After Zorro's daring rescue of her and Don Alejandro, Diego had so quickly gone back to treating her like a sister that it was so easy to let her initial admiration of Zorro grow into infatuation.

She'd been so disappointed by the changes in Diego, that she couldn't help expressing her disapproval, comparing him to the man who seemed to be so much more like he used to be than he was. There had been a bit more of wounded pride in that criticism than she'd ever let on. However, her mind kept switching back to the material issue. No matter how blind she'd been, how critical, how infatuated, Diego would know the truth, and knowing the truth, how could he have let her keep getting more involved with his masked self rather than the true man?

And the answer to that hit her in the face like a bucket of cold water. He'd actually tried— obliquely, cautiously— but he'd tried, and she had missed or misunderstood every hint. How could he tell her, when every indication was that she loved only Zorro and not the Diego he presented to the world?

She remembered back when he'd challenged that faker Ramirez to a duel that Zorro had fought instead. Afterwards, Zorro had asked about her regard for Diego, and she brushed her feelings aside in her eagerness to assure Zorro of her affections. And when for a single moment, she'd almost put it together, she dismissed it again, not wanting to get her hopes up, laughing in Diego's face. No wonder he'd said nothing then. He couldn't have known what she'd really been feeling. She was starting to feel like she'd gotten as good at hiding her true feelings as he had his identity.

She felt worse when she remembered the time she'd been shot trying to save Zorro. If she'd been paying the slightest bit of attention to Diego, she would have known the truth. When she'd first woken, Diego had told her that Zorro hadn't been seen since she'd been shot, and yet he also said that the reason was that he could no longer endanger innocent people. Admittedly, she'd been groggy, but she had a lot of time to think while recovering, and she should have wondered how or why Diego knew this. And then in the garden, when Zorro had said that she should have a husband like Diego, she should have realized then what he was really trying to tell her. If she had, it would have been so easy for them then— Zorro backing away from feelings of guilt and her turning to Diego after he'd looked after her. But at the time, all she wondered was why Zorro would think Diego would be interested in marrying _her_. He'd been treating her as a friend for such a long time that she'd believed that was all Diego felt for her, and she was afraid that she'd lose Zorro as well.

But if she'd really understood him that night, if he really did love her, they could have been married by now. There would be no need to have a bench between them, and the only gossip they'd have to worry about is the speculation about when the next de la Vega would be born. She blushed slightly as she thought of it and glanced back at Diego. He really was the most handsome man she'd ever known; she'd had to work to pretend not to notice that.

Turning back to the fire, she tried to decide what to do. Things were a little more complicated now; if Diego really were Zorro, she couldn't just suddenly reveal her feelings for Diego. Despite the fact that she'd cared for Diego such a long time, she'd been too outspoken about her feelings for Zorro and her disappointment with Diego for anyone to believe a sudden switch between them. That would be the quickest way to lose him to the _alcalde_'s rope, and she was not going to risk it.

Of course, if it seemed like Diego had compromised her, that would be a quick way to marriage. She didn't really mind the thought, but she was sure that Diego would hate it. He'd always cared more about her reputation than she did. So that wouldn't do. On the other hand, he had really done very well today, as himself, and it really wouldn't be so difficult to start to publicly admire Diego as he appeared to be. After all, he might seem to be overly studious and inclined to take to his bed at the slightest sign of a cold, but he was also a kind, compassionate man who was always willing to help those in need. He wasn't as forward or splashy as Zorro, but he was a good man and her friend. It wouldn't be that hard.

And there was something else that she could exploit. Even though it had never mattered to her except as a possible barrier between them, Diego's wealth and position certainly made him the most eligible bachelor in the territory, and who but the most romantically inclined would blame her for preferring a settled home with such a man than an uncertain existence with a bandit?

Suddenly, she had the curious sensation of being watched, but when she turned, Diego's eyes were closed. She really needed a plan, and she needed to talk to Diego. She had to know the truth.

Did he really love her? He'd never said the words as either Zorro or Diego, and there was still that odd sliver of doubt. If she could just prod him into some action, that would help. He was just too controlled. Of course, she was a bit too impulsive, and if everything she thought were true, she'd need to show him that she could act as well as he.

Again, she felt eyes on her and turned, this time she saw Diego looking at her through half-closed eyes. Ha! He was awake, and she was determined to try to get him to do something, reveal something.

"You were very impressive today," she said, starting with honesty.

As she suspected, this got him to stop pretending to be asleep. "Was I?" he said. "Oh, thank you."

Good, she got him talking; now to try to get him to react a bit. "Although speech-making is very different from action, isn't it?" she said, trying to treat him as she had been. _As well you should know, you're very good at both, even if you only show a little at a time. _"Why don't you ever do anything?" She knew this wasn't true, but she wanted to goad him— just a little.

But it didn't really work. He just got a faraway look in his eye, as he said, "Oh, I do lots of things. I read... play the piano... write poetry..."

_You do more than that, even without a mask_, Victoria thought. _Please, give me something more, a dream, a hope, a passion. Show me the Diego I remember._ "I know all about those things. But isn't there something you want above everything else? Something you must have?" _For once, Diego, be impulsive. Drop the mask just a little._

Her heart leapt a little when he half sat up and said in a passionate voice, "Yes!" He hesitated a little. Victoria hoped he was finally ready to tell her the truth but was disappointed as she saw him regain control of himself and say instead, "Sleep. I must have sleep."

Oh, he was so frustrating, so controlled. But then he had had a lot of practice, hadn't he? She rolled her eyes as she moved over to her side of the bench. She was not going to give up so easily. It was just a case of switching to another tactic.

She lay down on the blanket, still thinking. It was funny; she'd managed to not think about her feelings for Diego for months. Or she thought she had. But now that the floodgates had opened, she knew she hadn't really done a very good job of it, not even with Zorro to distract her. For one thing, she'd been more than annoyed any time a woman had shown even a passing interest in Diego or with the thought that Diego could be interested in someone else.

She'd been especially irritated by that little tease Amanda Herrara when she'd been staying at the de la Vegas' hacienda without a chaperone. At the time, she didn't really understand why she'd been so cross with Diego, who was apparently only interested in helping Mendoza court the woman. But she'd been convinced that Señorita Herrara, who had what seemed like half the men in the _pueblo _trying to woo her, was equally determined to trap Diego in her net.

Even after she and her bland fiancé had left town, Victoria had been curious enough that she'd basely pumped Mendoza for information about what happened that night at the de la Vegas' all under the guise of offering sympathy. She'd been a little ashamed of her duplicity at the time, but that hadn't stopped her from extracting every last detail from him or from feeling a sense of satisfaction that she'd been right about Señorita Herrara's intentions, though Diego had apparently been quite vocal about his lack of interest.

And then there'd been Zafira Correna. She'd been astonished and not a little disappointed to discover Diego had been engaged once. She'd worried about that while he was away at school, and it bothered her to realize that he had not only proposed marriage to another woman but also only chance had prevented that marriage.

While she had more than her share of suitors, no one had ever quite measured up in comparison to him, and it stung her to have it confirmed just how little an impression she'd ever made on him. She could hardly hide her relief when he told the now _married _woman who said she still had feelings for him that he no longer cared for her, though she was surprised to hear he was in love with a woman who was in love with someone else. She had spent some time trying to determine who this mystery woman could be; unlike Mendoza, however, Diego was much better at keeping his secrets, though it didn't stop her from trying to think of every single or widowed woman within a fifty mile radius.

It wasn't too long afterwards that Don Alejandro had been complaining that Diego was off gallivanting. She hadn't believed that he had been, not really, but then when she'd asked him about it, he'd said there had been a woman but— what were his exact words?— "the fire had gone out." Was that it? And she'd spent some time thinking he'd spoken to the woman he'd mentioned and been turned down. But if he was Zorro, then she knew exactly what he'd been doing, and who the woman was, and the literal fire he'd been referring to. How could he have teased her like that? But then again, how would he have known it would bother her? She'd gotten very good at pretending that she thought of him as only a friend.

Oh, could she pull herself together? Victoria looked at the flames of the fire and decided that she'd rather try to talk with Diego. It would be better than continuing to let her thoughts chase themselves in circles. Poetry was a good subject. After all, he'd just mentioned it.

"The fire reminds me," she said, quietly, remembering, "when my mother used to read me poems and adventure stories of love and courage. 'Love has no rhyme and no reason. It strikes with a passionate fire, engulfing the hearts in flame...'"

"'And only your cool, sweet lips will quench my burning desire,'" Diego finished, in a low tone, sounding more like Zorro than his usual self.

Maybe it would just be best to let him know something of what she was thinking. Could being wrong be worse than not knowing at all? Throwing caution to the winds, Victoria sat up, placing her arms on the bench and looking over at him. He seemed to be lying very stiffly, as if uncomfortable.

Still a little unsure, Victoria said, "Diego, something happened today. Something I've never noticed before. When you stood up to the King's emissary, there was something about you... Well, you seemed different somehow."

She paused for a moment trying to figure out how to say what she wanted to tell him, when a heavy gust of wind blew the door open sending an icy blast into the room. Diego ran to the door and pulled it shut, latching it. Victoria sat up and hugged herself in the again cold room.

Diego turned away from the door and when he saw her, said, "Oh, you're chilled. Here." Always the gentleman, he took off his jacket and knelt in front of her to drape it around her shoulders. "Get this around you." He rubbed her arms to try to warm her.

Victoria looked up at his face to thank him, but the words died on her lips as she saw the expression in his eyes. At that moment, she knew the truth: he was Zorro, he definitely did not think of her as a sister, and she was never more relieved about anything in her whole life.

She felt light-headed as she looked in those very blue eyes, feeling like she was seeing a series of images overlaying one another to show a whole other picture— the Diego she had a crush on before he left for Spain, the one she'd glimpsed briefly when he returned, the scholarly Diego who seemed only to care about arts and sciences, the compassionate Diego who was always willing to lend an ear, and even the heroic Diego who hid behind a mask to fight injustice and protect those he loved. It was as if she'd suddenly discovered the whole man after seeing only fragments.

He was leaning closer to her now, the intensity of his expression making her melt inside. Was he finally going to kiss her without a mask on? She watched as his expression changed slightly, doubt seemed to creep in. Was he worried about her feelings or the propriety of kissing her when they were all alone unlikely to be interrupted by _anything_?

In frustration, she could see him preparing to draw back and retreat behind the mask of friendship. Well, she wasn't going to let him, not now that she knew the truth, not after all this time. Quickly, she closed the gap between them and kissed him, hoping that he wouldn't pull away from her.

He didn't. His arms slid around her back and he returned her kiss with a passion that took her breath away. She managed to work her arms out from under his jacket and slip them around his neck, pulling him closer. His arms tightened around her almost reflexively. A slight gasp escaped her. Diego finally seemed to become conscious of what he was doing and drew back with a guilty expression.

"Victoria, forgive me. I shouldn't have... I didn't mean to..." he stammered, as he stood up and backed away.

She got to her feet, letting his jacket slip to the floor, forgotten. She crossed to him, putting a hand on his arm. "Diego, if any one needs to apologize, it is me. After all, I'm the one who kissed you." She paused for a moment, before saying, "I wanted you to kiss me."

He looked stunned. After a long moment as if it was dragged from somewhere deep inside, he asked, "Why?"

Victoria looked at him silently, unable to give voice to what she was feeling. However, as the silence stretched, she knew she had to say something. Suddenly, wanting reassurance on one point before putting her heart on the line, Victoria said, "I'll answer that question, if you answer one of mine first." Unable to look at him any longer, she walked back to the bench and sat down before continuing. "It's one I've asked before, in a manner of speaking, but this time I need you to give me an honest answer."

Confused apprehension radiated off him in waves. "If I can," he said, hesitantly, coming to sit on the other end of the bench.

While Victoria's first thought was just ask him directly, her second was to be as indirect as he tended to be, and she decided to go with that second impulse and ask him the question that had bothered her off and on until this evening. Victoria took a deep breath. "Who is she?"

"What?" Diego exclaimed, clearly disconcerted. "I... I... don't think I understand the question."

Glancing at him, Victoria realized that he'd expected her to ask him about Zorro, but that actually didn't matter to her at the moment. She clarified the question to leave him in no doubt what she was asking. "The woman you told Señora Correna about, the one you told me was in love with another man. Who is _she_?" She softened her voice. "I need to know, please."

Diego sat speechless. Victoria didn't dare do more than glance at him from beneath her lashes, hoping he wasn't going to find a way to wriggle out of answering her.

Finally, he started to speak. "I..." he stopped and then tried again. "I think you know the answer."

Victoria turned to face him then. "I need you to tell me, Diego."

He glanced away for a moment, sighed, and then looked directly at Victoria. "You," he finally said in a whisper. "And only you." His expression was faintly terrified as he waited for her response.

Victoria closed her eyes for a second, then smiled up at him. "That's a relief. However, you were wrong about one thing."

"Wrong? Wrong about what?" Diego asked, a mixture of hope and fear in his eyes.

"I'm not in love with another man," she said softly.

She'd managed to render him speechless again. He looked dazed. "But I thought... I mean... it seemed like..." he stammered. He stopped, visibly pulled himself together, and said, "What about Zorro?"

Considering who he was, Victoria wasn't about to let him off too lightly. "Well, what about Zorro?" she asked, not taking her eyes from his face.

"I thought you loved _him_," Diego finally said, hesitantly. "I didn't think you noticed _me _at all."

Victoria sighed. If she left it to him, they would never get anywhere, and she was tired of games. "I've always noticed you, Diego. Even when I didn't want to. Even when _you_ didn't notice_ me_. And Zorro reminded me so much of you before you left from Spain. Maybe a bit bolder, more flamboyant, and most importantly interested in me," she said, looking away from him. "How could I resist when you were treating me as a friend? And you'd changed so much; he seemed so much more like you than you were. I didn't understand why— until tonight."

She didn't dare look back at him. She'd said more than she meant to, though not nearly as much as she could have. It was up to him now, and she wasn't sure if she could forgive him if he tried to keep up the pretense any longer. The blinders had come off, and they weren't going back on again.

She felt rather than saw Diego slide off the bench beside her. He knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his.

"I'm sorry, Victoria. Very sorry. I never thought things would get this complicated," he said, softly. "I never expected to have to be Zorro this long. And the longer I've been him, the more dangerous the secret seems to have become. I've hated having to pretend with you and my father, but it's seemed like the best way to keep you safe. I never wanted to get you involved. It's bad enough that Felipe knows."

"Felipe?" Victoria exclaimed. "I should have realized." She shook her head a little before continuing. "But, Diego, I_ am_ involved. If you were trying to protect me, how could you encourage my feelings for you as Zorro? The promise you made me..."

Diego's head dropped. "I meant it—I still mean it. Every word."

"That wasn't my point, and I think you know that."

"I do. It's just once things got started, I couldn't seem to find a way out of the situation I created. And every time I tried, it seemed that I didn't really stand a chance in comparison with Zorro."

"Well, you didn't make a very good job of it," Victoria replied, remembering all the odd frustrating moments. "I never understood what you were trying to do when you hinted as Zorro, and you've done far too good a job of pretending indifference as Diego. There were times, I wish you'd..." She broke off, shaking her head a little.

He looked up at her. "You wished I'd what?" he asked.

She gently squeezed his hands. "It doesn't matter. There's no point in regretting the past. The more important question is what we're going to do now."

He sighed. "It's still dangerous."

"I know, but life can be dangerous. And there's no telling when or if Zorro can ever publicly unmask."

"What are you saying?" Diego asked.

"I'm saying that I don't want to wait for some moment when it will be safe for Zorro to unmask," Victoria said. "I'm tired of waiting for a legend. I'd far rather be courted by a man of flesh and blood," she paused and then, wanting to be absolutely sure he didn't misunderstand, added, "as long as he's you."

Diego smiled at her then. He reached up to caress her cheek. She closed her eyes, relishing the sensation. "I'm finding this very hard to believe," he whispered. He kissed the corner of her mouth.

Victoria opened her eyes. "What?" she asked, returning his kiss. "That I know your secret? Or that it's you that I love?"

"Both, I think," he said. "And somehow, I expected you to be angry." He kissed her again.

"Well, I'm not angry, just regretful," she replied, between kisses. "And you're stalling. Not that I mind— much."

Diego drew back, with a sigh. "It's hard to know what to do. You can't just switch your affections from Zorro to me without the _alcalde_ getting suspicious."

"I realize that, but I can be patient. I have been patient."

"I know, and I'm sorry you've had to be. Perhaps with some time..."

"The romance with Zorro could fade, and our friendship could become something more," Victoria interjected. "A year from now, I don't think anyone would think it at all odd if we were to..." She stopped, suddenly unsure again, wanting to know what Diego would say. He'd always been the cautious one.

"Marry?" Diego said, without hesitation finishing her thought. "I suppose it could work, if we're very careful." He suddenly grinned mischievously. "And if you can stop flirting with Zorro."

"As long as he stops flirting with me," Victoria replied, with a smile. "He started it after all."

"I'm not sure I would put it like that," Diego protested.

"I would," Victoria retorted.

"Well, your charms are very difficult to resist," Diego finally said, taking her hand and kissing it gently.

"You seemed to resist well enough without the mask on," she said.

"Seemed is the operative word," he said. "You'd be surprised how hard it's been." He looked down at the hand he was holding. "I'm still afraid of the danger we're going to face now. I never wanted you to have to play a role as I have. And it's one you're going to have to play as long as Zorro is still needed. You're going to have to treat us as two different people all of the time. It's not going to be easy."

Victoria pulled her hand out of his and reached up to take hold of his face. She forced him to look her in the eyes. "I'm willing to take the chance, Diego. It's worth the danger; it's worth the acting, and I think I can be a better actress than you realize. I know you're afraid of what will happen. So am I, but I'd rather take the risk than go on without you. I just need you to be willing to take the chance as well. Please. For our future."

He looked into her eyes for a long moment. "How can I refuse?" he finally said, before kissing her again.

This kiss was deeper and more full of promise. Victoria slipped her hands into his hair, glad that this time no mask was in the way. His hair was surprisingly soft to the touch. Everything around her seemed to take on a heightened reality as if determined to press this moment permanently in her memory. The feel of his lips on hers. The sound of the rain on the roof. The slight tickling of his mustache. The hard wood of the bench. The warmth of his embrace. Time seemed to have stopped for her. It could have been a minute or an hour for all she was aware of when Diego pulled away from her. He was near enough that she could still feel his breath on her face, and she lost herself in the expression in his deep blue eyes.

"I think..." He had to stop to clear his throat, and she could feel him trembling slightly. "I think... we'd better try to get some sleep before we find we need to get married faster than we planned."

Victoria was tempted to say she didn't mind, but she knew he was right, so instead she said, reluctantly, "Your side and my side?"

He stood up uncomfortably, folding his arms tightly. "Yes, definitely," he said, shakily.

Victoria picked up his jacket. Tempting as it was to keep it, she was no longer feeling cold, and his shirt seemed rather thin. "Here, you can have this back now. I don't think I need it anymore."

Gingerly taking it from her, Diego put it on before moving back to his side of the bench. Their gazes locked for a long moment. Diego took her hand and placed a kiss on the palm before turning away to lay back down. "Good night, Victoria," he said.

Victoria lay down on her side still looking at him. "Good night, Diego." She wondered how she was ever going to be able to sleep.

It was just after dawn when Victoria awoke to see that Diego was already up. He was quietly folding his blanket up.

"The storm's passed," he said, when he saw her staring at him. "We can head back any time now."

Victoria rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Much as she liked being alone with him, especially now, she'd definitely prefer to get back to her tavern. She stood up and helped him get their things together. Diego made sure the fire was truly out, before they mounted their horses for the trip back to Los Angeles.

They rode most of the way in silence. Victoria was absorbed in her thoughts; so much had changed in one night, and in the cold light of day, it seemed safer to pretend that nothing was different. Victoria glanced at Diego. He too seemed lost in thought.

Maybe he was thinking the same; more likely he was worrying about what the next few days or weeks would bring. She knew he was concerned about putting her in such a position, but in any event it was too late for regret now. She couldn't unknow his secret, any more than she could stop loving him. They'd neared the _pueblo_ now. Victoria reined in her horse. Diego stopped close beside her.

"Diego, I can go alone from here. You should go and see your father," she said.

He smiled at her. "Yes, I should," he said with apparent reluctance. "But I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you as well, but I'll see you at the tavern later," Victoria replied. Everything would be more difficult in the beginning, but she knew they could make it work.

Diego took her hand and kissed it quickly before letting it drop. "Till later then," he said.

Victoria smiled at him once more before riding towards the pueblo gate. Everything seemed quiet as she rode into town. After taking her borrowed horse to the livery stable, Victoria went back to the tavern, hoping to get some rest before going back to work. Tired as she was, she planned to let Perez handle the breakfast crowd, since she hadn't planned on being back this early.

She'd barely had time to do more than doze off when a loud commotion woke her. Getting dressed quickly, Victoria ran out to discover that bandits had tied up Mendoza and robbed the _alcalde_'s office. The lancers went out after them, but no one held much hope. Mendoza was too groggy to go after them himself and sat outside her tavern bemoaning his plight.

Victoria wondered if she should tell Diego but stopped herself from hurrying away. It would be too obvious if she ran off to the de la Vegas, and she knew that this was part of what worried Diego. Besides, Zorro always seemed to find out things quickly on his own. She'd wait and see for a little while, at least. And perhaps for once the lancers would get lucky.

She brought out something for Mendoza to drink while trying to encourage him. "Don't you have any confidence in your men?" she asked. Of course, she couldn't blame him for not expecting them to succeed.

Mendoza didn't appear to hear her as he said in despair, "What is the _alcalde_ going to say?" Then he looked up surprised at something coming towards them. He stood up to get a better look. "What is this?"

Victoria turned and saw a couple of horses walking closer. On the backs of each were two men tied together.

"_Madre de Dios!_" Mendoza exclaimed, getting closer to the horses.

Victoria heard another horse approaching from behind, and heard Perez say, "It's Zorro!" Backing up against the tavern wall, Victoria saw Zorro as if for the first time. It was so obvious now that he was Diego that she couldn't believe she'd ever been fooled at all, but she forced herself to think of him as simply Zorro while he spoke to Mendoza. She stayed back, determined not to draw attention to herself.

"Good afternoon, Sergeant. Please accept these prisoners as a gift from me," he said, sitting confidently astride Toronado.

Mendoza seemed confused by his speech. "Zorro?"

"I think you'll find what you're looking for in the leader's saddlebags," Zorro said, pointedly. His eyes and Victoria's met for just a moment, but it was to Mendoza he directed his "_adios_" before riding away.

As Mendoza excitedly retrieved the gold and directed the available men to take the thieves to jail, Victoria slipped back into the tavern, relieved that no one seemed to notice or care that Zorro hadn't spoken to her or she to him. It might prove easier than she thought to let that aspect go, since Zorro almost always had to dash away. It would actually make it safer for him to not stop to acknowledge her as he left. But as she thought about how she saw Diego in the mask, she was more concerned about giving him away when he was in danger. She had to remember that with the mask on he was always Zorro and never anyone else at all. One wrong word could get him killed. That's what she had to guard against.

She threw herself into her work, as people began drifting in after the excitement in the plaza had faded. Though tired, she found cooking a good way to deal with the nervous energy she had left over in anticipation of seeing Diego again. She was more anxious about that than she'd been with seeing Zorro unexpectedly. She was relieved that everyone seemed more interested in talking about the robbery than in asking her about the trip to Santa Paula.

It was lunchtime before she saw Diego again. Mendoza was busily telling the story of his dealings with the bandits, exaggerating his bravery as usual, to a group of soldiers, and Victoria almost missed spotting him as he took a seat on the far side of the room. She schooled her expression to show no more than her ordinary friendliness.

"_Hola_, Diego," she said, approaching the table with a pitcher of water and glass. "It's good to see you again. Is your father feeling any better?"

Diego smiled at her, and she had to steady the tray as she placed the pitcher on the table. "_Buenas tardes_, Victoria," he replied, evenly, though his eyes seemed brighter than normal. "It's good to see you again too. Unfortunately, while we were gone he somehow managed to twist his ankle after getting out of bed against Dr. Hernandez's orders, so he's not in the best of humors."

"That's too bad. But I hope telling him about the Emissary's response cheered him a little."

"It did indeed, but I still thought it better to eat lunch in town today," he said, straight-faced.

Victoria wondered how much practice would it take to be as good at acting as he was. "Well, I'm very glad you did," she said with a warm smile.

"As am I," Diego replied simply, returning her smile.

She walked back toward the kitchen but turned for a moment to look back at him over her shoulder. _It isn't much_, she thought, _but it is a beginning._

The End

**Next up: **"The Devil's Fortress." The draft for this one is done but in need of major editing. It should be ready to go within the next week or so.

**End notes: **Previous episodes referred to in this story were "The Legend Begins," "The Unhappy Medium," "Broken Heart, Broken Mask," "The Tease," "The Old Flame," and "Sanctuary."


	2. Devil's Fortress Part 1

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own. If I did, Ramone would never have fallen to his death in this episode.

**Summary:** Sometimes it is about the journey rather than the destination, and even the best intentions can fall through.

**Author's Notes:** I definitely preferred Ramone to De Soto. He was more likeable even if he was more villainous in some aspects. However, having already changed one major aspect of the series, I don't think I could handle changing another. It takes me long enough to write without trying to figure out how to keep Ramone around longer, so alas, he's still got to go. The changes to this story mainly surround the beginning and the ending, so I'm kind of eliding the middle bits, but I hope it still makes sense in total. Also, after watching closely, I'm not sure the timing for all the events really works for me, so forgive me if I rearrange a few things so that they make sense to me and hopefully they will at least make sense to the reader as well.

Also forgive me for adding some original characters. Normally, I wouldn't have done it, but I wanted to do something a little different with this one and wanted Diego to have a relatively safe place to stop on the way down. I would have used Diego's cousin Rafael if he hadn't lived north rather than south of Los Angeles.

And for an explanation of why these stories are not in anything approaching broadcast order, please see the author's notes in the first story (chapter 1).

Finally, I need to thank Ghetto Outlaw for helping me with Don Alejandro and the ending. I do have a problem figuring out how to end stories.

**There and Back Again**

**(The Devil's Fortress)**

**Part 1**

Victoria was in an unusually bad humor that day. Nothing seemed to be going right. The weather was unaccountably cold. She'd managed to break two dishes. The _alcalde_ was back from his latest trip, and while he hadn't done anything noticeably evil, Victoria was irritated with just the anticipation of his next scheme. And finally, she hadn't seen Diego in over three days, since he was busy helping his father who was still recuperating from cracked ribs and a sprained ankle.

Of course, it wouldn't be much better if he came to town, since she'd still have to treat him only as her dear friend and not as anything more— at least not yet. She wished she'd never promised to be patient about shifting her affection from Zorro to Diego. Or more pertinently, she wished she knew the best way to move things forward without causing Diego to panic or anyone else to be suspicious. In any event, she didn't think it would be at all out of place for her to visit her friend and his father that afternoon, and once there she might contrive to get a few moments alone with Diego. The thought brightened her mood just a little.

Her ruminations were broken by the entrance of Sgt. Mendoza. "_Hola_, Señorita Victoria," he said, walking over to her with an envelope in his hand. "There was a letter for you on the mail coach, and as I was already coming over here for some of your delicious tamales, I thought I'd bring it to you."

"_Gracias_, Sergeant," Victoria replied, taking the envelope from him. "I'm sure Alicia will get them for you." She looked at the envelope— the handwriting was unfamiliar. Wondering who could be writing her, she opened the envelope and took out the letter. She paled as she read the contents.

"Señorita? Are you all right?" Mendoza asked. "Is it bad news?"

"What?" Victoria asked distractedly.

"Bad news?" Mendoza repeated.

"I... don't know. This man says my father's alive but sick and imprisoned in Fortaleza del Diablo," Victoria said, unbelievingly. "Excuse me, I must go talk with Di— Don Alejandro. Alicia, take care of things." She hurried out of the tavern without another word.

Her mind was a whirl during the two-mile journey to the de la Vega hacienda. It was incredible, impossible. How could her father be alive? And if he was alive, was there any way to get him out of that horrible place? She knew she could count on Diego, but Don Alejandro would probably know more about the Devil's Fortress. Had her brothers received their letters? If only she'd heard from them recently, that would be something.

Her mind kept going over and over those points until she found herself knocking on the front door of the hacienda. She was almost startled when Diego opened the door.

"Victoria! Come in. Forgive the delay," he said, with a smile.

Victoria entered, still feeling dazed. "Diego, I need your help, and I think Don Alejandro's as well."

He looked at her in concern. "He should be around here somewhere; Dr. Hernandez just told him it was all right to walk around. What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Victoria said. "It has something to do with my father." She handed him the envelope, still at a loss.

Diego led her to the library, his arm around her waist. "Your father? I thought he died in Mexico during the revolution. Please sit down."

She sat on the sofa by the window, Diego beside her, before she spoke again. "Well, that's what we all thought. But he's alive, Diego. He's a prisoner at Devil's Fortress. The letter will explain it all." She looked at him while he started reading the letter and then turned to see Don Alejandro approaching.

"Victoria!" he said, as he limped into the room, using a cane. He made his way over to the chair next to the sofa and sat very carefully. "What a pleasant surprise."

Victoria couldn't say anything, but Diego spoke up.

"Victoria has just received this letter," he said. "From a man who was recently a prisoner of Fortaleza del Diablo."

Don Alejandro looked puzzled. "Well, I pity him. But what does that to do with Victoria?"

Diego looked over the letter. "This man claims to have shared a cell with her father."

Surprised, Don Alejandro exclaimed. "Alfonso? My old friend is still alive?" Victoria could only nod. "Oh, Victoria, my dear, how do you know you can trust the man who wrote the letter?"

"He swore to my father he would write to me and my brothers upon his release. And somehow I have to believe him," Victoria said. Her father was alive; he had to be. She couldn't let herself think that this was either a cruel hoax or mistaken identity.

"He says Señor Escalante's health is declining rapidly," Diego said, still looking at the letter.

"Where are your brothers?" Alejandro asked.

Victoria tried composing herself. It was difficult. "In Venezuela. I haven't heard from Francisco or Ramon in months." She looked between the two men anxiously. "I can't let my father die in that foul place."

"Of course not. We'll do something. And quickly," Alejandro said decisively, reaching over to touch her hand comfortingly.

"But what? What can we do?" Victoria couldn't seem to get her brain working at all. She looked at Diego hoping he'd come up with a suggestion. He appeared lost in thought.

Alejandro didn't seem to notice Diego at all, as he spoke, "I don't know. I'd go myself except for these injuries. Please, Victoria, I need time to think."

Diego spoke up then. "Time is the very thing we don't have. I'll ride to the fortress." He stood up.

Victoria almost cringed at Alejandro's incredulous reply. "You, Diego?"

She wanted to say something, anything, but seemed incapable of speech.

"Well, it appears I'm the only volunteer," Diego said, decisively. He turned to Felipe who had been watching the entire exchange. "Felipe, pack my bags at once."

Felipe gave a nod and then hurried away. Diego seemed ready to follow until his father halted him.

"Diego, what in the world are you going to say when you get there?" he asked.

"Well, I'll speak to the commandant of the prison," Diego said easily. "If Señor Escalante's illness is as serious as that letter indicates, perhaps he'll be merciful."

"And what if he isn't?" Alejandro demanded.

"Well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," Diego said.

"Well, it seems my son has become a man of action overnight," Alejandro said, in amazed disbelief.

At that moment, Victoria truly hated the fact that Diego felt he had to hide who he was from his father, but she was at least grateful he had insisted he go as himself.

Diego seemed more unaffected by his father's comments than she was. He simply replied, "No." He crossed back to where Victoria was standing. She looked up at him. "This lady has been a good and loyal friend to the de la Vegas." He gently touched her arm as he spoke to her, his eyes saying more than his words could. "Your family is our family."

Not caring what his father might think, Victoria couldn't resist the urge to give Diego a hug. She would have hugged him even if she had thought of him only as a friend. "Thank you," she said.

Diego returned her hug briefly. "There's not a moment to lose." He left the room quickly.

Victoria looked after him; she couldn't let him leave just yet. There were things she needed to say to him without an audience. She faced Alejandro and wanting to let him know a little of what she felt said, "Your son is a kind and generous man. Thank you, Don Alejandro." She paused for a moment and then, as if she'd just thought of something, continued. "Oh, there's something I need to ask Diego before he goes. Will you excuse me?"

"Of course, Victoria," Alejandro replied. "Just let me know if you need anything."

Nodding on her way out of the room, she was in too much of a hurry to say anything else. She passed Felipe as he left Diego's room and almost ran into Diego as she entered.

"Victoria!" he exclaimed, grabbing her shoulders to keep her from falling over. "What is it?"

"I needed to speak to you alone before you left," Victoria said, breathlessly. "I didn't know what to say in front of your father. I wish you'd tell him the truth."

"You know why I don't," he replied sadly, still holding her shoulders. "He's safer for not knowing, at least until the need for Zorro is over. You know he'd never be able to just stand aside, if he knew who Zorro really was." He slid one hand to her cheek. "I worry enough now that you know."

"I'm glad I do," she said simply. "Thank you for doing this for me. If there's a chance..."

He took her hands in his. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Victoria, and I promise that if it is within the power of man, I will bring your father home."

"I know you will," Victoria said with conviction. But there was something else she needed to ask, and she struggled to find the right words. "Will Zorro be going as well?"

He sighed and stepped back. "I think it might be best. I have no idea what I'll find at the Devil's Fortress."

Victoria couldn't help but be worried, despite knowing he was Zorro, as well as Diego. "You will be careful, won't you?"

"Always," he replied, kissing her hands gently. "I have too much to look forward to."

"So do I." Impulsively she reached up and pulled his head down for a kiss. He hugged her tightly for a moment before letting her go. "I'm going to pray for you and my father," she said softly. "_Vaya con Dios_, Diego." Not wanting to delay him any longer, Victoria turned and nearly ran out of the hacienda.

Diego watched Victoria go with a sigh before turning his attention back to preparing for the journey. That letter made her father's condition sound very serious; he couldn't afford to take much time before starting. He looked around his room to see if he'd forgotten anything before grabbing his bag and jacket. By this time, Felipe should have let one of the stablemen know to saddle Esperanza and hopefully have made it to the cave. Diego hated having to go through all the complications of leaving on one horse only to switch to another, but on a journey like this one, he needed Toronado, and Don Diego certainly could not afford to be seen leaving the Los Angeles area on Zorro's black stallion. Esperanza would be comfortable enough in Toronado's stall for the duration of his trip.

Relieved to see no one in the library, Diego made his way down to the cave where Felipe was waiting as expected. As he finished folding up Zorro's gear so that it would fit in Toronado's saddlebags, Diego told Felipe how when Victoria was about Felipe's age, her mother had been shot for aiding a wounded revolutionary and that her father and brothers had joined the rebel army swearing revenge, leaving Victoria to run the tavern. Privately, he had wondered how her father could just leave her on her own, even knowing how independent and capable she was, but then he realized that grief and anger can affect people different ways. He just hoped that he would be able to find a way to bring him back to Victoria.

Telling Felipe to saddle Toronado and meet him in the grove, Diego pulled on his jacket and picked up his bag and reentered the library. As he was heading for the door, he heard his father calling him. He braced himself then turned back as his father limped toward him.

"Good, I see you're about ready," Alejandro said. "I told Maria to pack up some food for you. I was afraid you'd forget that in your rush."

Diego blinked once. "Thank you," he said. "I _had_ forgotten."

Alejandro clapped him on the shoulder. "Well, when things have to be done in a hurry, it's easy to forget something. I am proud of you for volunteering to go. If it weren't for this..." he indicated his leg and ribs. "I'd handle this myself. I'm sorry you have to take on a task that is beyond what I can really expect from you. Still, we can hope for the best."

Glad that he'd had a lot of practice not wincing at his father's more barbed comments, Diego reflected privately that he was glad his father couldn't go, especially since he had no idea what he would need to do once he reached the Devil's Fortress. He didn't say anything for the moment, and apparently, Alejandro didn't expect him to, as he continued talking.

"Now, I think you should stop at your great aunt Catalina's on the way down. She or some of your cousins may have some more information about the Devil's Fortress that will help you. Also, don't let yourself get intimidated. Remember you're a de la Vega. We do still have some influence."

Diego refrained from pointing out that the family influence couldn't even get rid of an evil _alcalde_ on their own doorstep, so it was unlikely to be too helpful in dealing with a prison _comandante_ nearly three days journey from their home.

Composing himself to speak respectfully, Diego said, "I'll remember. I'm not sure if I will be able to stop there though. Time is critical now."

"Well, going through your aunt's lands will actually cut some time off your trip, so make the effort, son."

"I will."

Diego was eager to be on his way. He hugged his father before hurrying off to the kitchen to get the food Maria prepared. A few minutes after that, he was on Esperanza and heading towards the grove to meet with Felipe. When he got there, he was impressed with Felipe's disguise of Toronado, with a different saddle and a white forelock which would stand some scrutiny at the very least. It was very clever of him, and he was grateful for Felipe's forethought. He made sure Zorro's gear was secured as he transferred everything else from Esperanza. He wished he could think of an excuse to see Victoria again before he left, but nothing came to mind, and speed was imperative. He mounted Toronado and started away.

He stopped briefly. "Be safe, my friend. Take care of my father."

Felipe nodded. Then Diego rode away.

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria spent some time praying for her father and Diego. She knew that if anyone could find a way to bring her father back to her, it would be him, but she still feared it was an impossible task. Why hadn't she insisted on going with him? She left the church still deep in thought. As she headed back towards the tavern, she was surprised to see Mendoza and the _alcalde_ coming toward her.

"_Buenos dias_, _Alcalde_. Sergeant," she said in clipped tones. She expected them to move on but was surprised to see them turn to join her.

"_Buenos dias_, Señorita Escalante," Mendoza said cheerily.

She barely paused, but found herself stopping when Ramone said, "Sergeant Mendoza and I are on our way to the Fortress to intercede for you father."

It took her a moment to register what he was saying and she responded almost automatically. "But you can't. If you do, then..." She managed to stop herself from saying anything else and forced herself to start thinking about the danger to Diego. After all, she already knew he'd have Zorro's things with him, and was he riding Toronado? It could be deadly for him to be seen by the _alcalde_, and there was no way to warn him..

The _alcalde_ wasn't going to let it drop. "Then what?"

"Ah, nothing," Victoria said as blandly as she could, trying to figure out the best way to deal with this. She could at least say she already had someone acting for her. Diego's journey was not going to be a secret, after all. "Your kindness is greatly appreciated, but I'm afraid Don Diego has already gone out to the Fortress. Thank you."

That didn't seem to help at all. Ramone smirked at her words. "De la Vega's gone out to the Fortress? I will probably have to rescue him."

What was he up to? Determined not to let him use any kind of favor to her as an excuse, Victoria tried another tack. "I can't let you do this, _Alcalde_," she said, with all the concern she could fake which wasn't much. "I mean, you have a pueblo to govern."

This simply caused him to put on his own expression of concern no more genuine than her own. "What else am I here for if not to ease the distress of my subjects... " He reached toward her, in what she assumed he thought was a comforting gesture, but which made her back away as if it was a snake and glare at him for his reference to "subjects." Ramone changed his words slightly, to seem more politic, she assumed, "... my people." He turned and walked away.

Now, Victoria was convinced that Ramone had some scheme in hand. She called to Mendoza as he started to follow the _alcalde_. "Mendoza," she said sharply. "The _alcalde_ could care less about my father. What is he up to?"

Mendoza seemed genuinely puzzled and worried. "I don't know, Señorita Victoria. He has some sort of secret. He won't even tell me. Please pray for our safe return."

She realized it wasn't fair to blame Mendoza for the _alcalde_'s schemes. He was simply a soldier, going where his leader told him to and not liking it. So she said more kindly, "I will, Sergeant." She watched him walk away and went back to the tavern to think.

~Z~Z~Z~

The journey south went reasonably quickly. Diego was surprised to find that he reached his great aunt's place early in the evening. He had decided that his father was right, but more pertinently, he had reason to believe that only his great aunt would be in residence at the moment, and he wouldn't have to deal with any of his cousins.

When he rode up to the _hacienda_ he was surprised to see his great aunt sitting outdoors in her courtyard, considering the general coolness of the weather and the lateness of the hour, but then she never let anything like the weather get in the way of what she wanted to do.

"_Hola_, Aunt Catalina," he called as he dismounted at her gate.

His great aunt pushed herself up out of her chair with her ornate black cane. "Well, well, well, what brings you out my way, young Diego?"

"Urgent business at the Devil's Fortress. Which explains why I've descended on you with no warning, dear aunt," he said as he approached her.

"Oh, you," his aunt said giving him a hug. "You know I'm always glad to see you with or without warning. Besides, I'm alone at the moment, and the extra company is welcome even if it is only for a night. I assume it is only for the night, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so. I have to get to the Devil's Fortress as quickly as possible."

"Well, come inside and tell me all about it."

"I have to see to my horse first," Diego said. "He's a bit temperamental."

"He won't be for Roberto; you know that," his aunt said. "Let him see to your horse and come inside. I'm going to tell Dolores that there'll be another for supper. Hurry along, young man."

Diego watched his aunt walk inside before taking Toronado to the stables where he found Roberto waiting for him. The wiry old man, who had been in charge of Aunt Catalina's stables since before Diego had been born and who had a true gift when it came to horses, always seemed to know when he was required, and his loyalty to the de la Vega family was absolute and unbending. Diego knew he could trust him and what was more knew that Toronado could trust him.

Taking in Toronado's disguise unblinkingly, Roberto simply said, "No one else will bother him. When do you leave?"

Diego cleared his throat. "At dawn tomorrow."

"He'll be ready. Better get back to Doña Catalina, or she'll be out here to fetch you."

"_Gracias_," Diego said. Taking off the bags that contained Zorro's things, he headed back inside his great aunt's house. One of her maids showed him to the room he'd be staying for the night, and after he put down his bags, he followed her back to where his aunt was waiting.

She was sitting in the _sala_, with a pitcher of lemonade next to her on a table. "You must be thirsty. Have something to drink and tell me why you're in such a hurry to go to such a place as the Devil's Fortress."

Diego poured out a glass for each of them and sat back in the chair. "Do you remember Señor Escalante who used to run the tavern in Los Angeles?"

The old woman looked thoughtful as she pulled the details from her capacious memory. "Yes, his wife was shot for helping a wounded revolutionary, and he (and his sons) ran off in a fit of temper to play soldier, leaving a fifteen-year-old daughter in charge of the tavern. I thought he was killed in Mexico."

Diego was a bit shocked by his aunt's description though his thoughts weren't that dissimilar to hers. "Well, it seems he was captured instead of killed and ended up in the Devil's Fortress. Vict— Señorita Escalante received a letter from a man who says he was imprisoned there with him, and that he's very ill."

"I can see why you're in a hurry then. It is an evil place in the best of times, and no place for a sick man." Catalina shook her head sadly. "I wish I had some information to help you on your way, but I know very little about the Devil's Fortress beyond its reputation. I'm not even sure who is in command there. Your cousin Sebastian would perhaps know more, but he's in San Diego."

"I'll just have to do the best I can, Aunt Catalina. There's really no time to plan anything."

Just then Dolores came out to announce supper was ready. Diego escorted his great aunt to the table. After she'd settled in her place, she said, "Tell me about Señorita Escalante. The last time I saw her was before you left for Madrid. I remember her being a pretty little thing then. Did she inherit the Escalante temper as well as the tavern?"

Diego searched for a diplomatic answer that wouldn't give away too much. "Well, she's certainly not shy about expressing her feelings when outraged."

His aunt nodded. "I thought as much. The only thing I've known to be stronger than the de la Vega temper was the Escalante one." She looked at Diego. "You seemed to have been spared that particular trait."

"Oh, I'm not without a temper, Aunt Catalina," he replied evenly.

"That's very true, but you've always been able to control it much better than most of the de la Vegas. You take after your mother in that sense. I remember when you were young, visiting your cousins here, you often seemed to me to be a fox surrounded by a pack of lions."

Diego had just taken a sip of water and almost choked on it. He coughed, trying to clear his throat.

"What's the matter, young man? I'm sure you remember the old saying (your mother was fond enough of it): 'When you cannot clothe yourself in the skin of a lion put on that of a fox.' You were always cleverer than your cousins who seemed to think that a loud voice and assured manner would win the day. Of course, now that you've grown so tall, you more resemble a lion than a fox, but from what I hear, you're still clever, though perhaps more fond of peace than your father likes."

Diego eyed his aunt suspiciously. She'd always had a reputation for knowing everything about the family, even what they didn't want her to find out about, and he knew his father kept her abreast of most of the news from Los Angeles, so she must have heard about Zorro. However, he couldn't tell if she made that comparison innocently or with malice aforethought, and he certainly wasn't about to ask her.

"It is true," he said with a forced calm, "that Los Angeles is not really a peaceful town, but we do our best to take things as they come."

"I imagine you do," his great aunt said dryly. "Now tell me more about Señorita Escalante, most importantly why you haven't married her yet."

At least this time, he anticipated that she'd say something shocking and hadn't tried to eat or drink anything, but he still hadn't expected that.

"I... I... don't know..."

"Oh, don't pretend not to understand. You're not fooling your old aunt. You're a compassionate soul, but I don't think you'd be rushing off in such a hurry if you weren't in love with the girl. I know your father's been at you to marry since you've gotten home, so what's been holding you back. If you've picked up old-world notions about class distinctions, I'm going to have to disown you and have a nasty talk with your father."

Diego shook his head; he was starting to believe the rumors that she had second sight. "It's not that, Aunt."

"Then what?" she asked, not to be put off.

Sighing, he said carefully, "Well, until very recently, she's seemed to only have eyes for the hero of the _pueblo_. I'm afraid I don't qualify as very dashing competition."

"Well, you know there's nothing noble in not making an effort," his great aunt said.

"I'll keep that under advisement, Aunt Catalina," he replied dryly.

After that the conversation drifted to more general topics. She told him the best route south. He told her about his father's recent injuries and how he was recovering. After they finished eating, he said good night to her, since he planned to leave quite early.

It was just before dawn when he went down to the stables and found Roberto leading out a still disguised Toronado outside, ready for the journey. Diego made sure everything was securely in place before mounting Toronado and continuing south towards his destination.

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria had spent a restless night. She wasn't sure what the _alcalde_ was up to, but she knew that it couldn't be good. Why hadn't she insisted on going with Diego? But then if she had she wouldn't know about the _alcalde_'s trip. When she got up, she learned that Mendoza and the _alcalde_ had left at dawn. Depending on when Diego stopped for the night and when he started again, they might only be half a day behind him. At least, she'd managed to find out from Felipe that they'd disguised Toronado, but that certainly didn't eliminate Diego's danger. And there was her father. What if he was too ill to be moved? She might never have a chance to see him at all.

Finally, deciding that she couldn't just sit back and wait any longer, Victoria got together all the things she needed for the trip south. Going downstairs, Victoria went to the kitchen to tell her helpers where she was going and what she wanted them to do while she was away. She also gave them a note to send to Don Alejandro telling him where she was going. While she knew that he wouldn't be able to come into town for a bit longer, she knew that he'd still find a way to keep an eye on things. She was actually grateful that Don Alejandro couldn't come to town as she was sure that he'd try to dissuade her from going.

However, she wasn't going to let any thought of danger keep her away from the man she loved or the possibility of seeing her father again. Once she started out of town, she figured that it wouldn't be too difficult to catch up with the _alcalde_ and Mendoza, as they wouldn't be feeling the same urgency she did. And once she had caught up with them, she would certainly do her best to find a way to keep the _alcalde_ from whatever nefarious deed he had planned under the guise of helping her.

She rode out of Los Angeles with a fire in her eyes and determination in her heart.

TBC


	3. Devil's Fortress Part 2

**There and Back Again**

**(The Devil's Fortress)**

**Part 2**

Three days after he left Los Angeles, Zorro was pursuing Luis Ramone through the interior of the Devil's Fortress, wondering at how he'd gotten to this point. His bad luck seemed all to have started with his rescue of Rosalinda de la Fuente from bandits. Who would have thought that something so simple as accepting a handkerchief would have gotten him into so much trouble? When it came to women he was always a bit too trusting and too polite. But why should he suspect her of wanting to capture Zorro? Even if he'd known Señorita de la Fuente was the daughter of the commandant of Devil's Fortress, he wouldn't have suspected her of being so ungrateful as to try to have him arrested when they met again when he wasn't wearing a mask. It was lucky that despite that overly trusting quality he always maintained an extra bit of caution and had used an alias, otherwise he'd be finished as Diego de la Vega. At least now, she only knew him as Salvador Guillaranz.

Once he escaped that trap, he knew there was no hope of accomplishing his mission except as Zorro. His one piece of good fortune had been in running into Victoria's brother Ramon who'd received his letter while on the way back to Mexico. Considering the heavy guard around the Fortress, he was grateful for an ally, especially one who could gather supplies without drawing undue attention to himself. Between the two of them they'd managed to make their way inside the Fortress and down to its dungeons, where to his surprise he saw the end of a fight between Victoria and the commandant's daughter. He barely had time to wonder how she'd gotten there before he was busy fighting again and had a smaller surprise in meeting up with Sergeant Mendoza who he'd sent to free the prisoners and protect Victoria.

He'd ended up fighting with the commandant, whose skill was very unequal to his, so it was easy enough to keep him distracted from the prison break. He toyed with him, until he saw Victoria appeared at the head of the group carrying her father's body. Then he knew it was time to finish the fight and disarmed him for the last time. The man seemed to expect to be killed, welcomed it in fact, but Zorro wasn't about to oblige him, especially since for a man like de la Fuente being left alive would be a far worse fate. Instead he slashed a _Z_ into the commandant's uniform before punching him and knocking him to the floor.

It was after that that he'd seen Rosalinda standing above looking down at the scene, and it was then he'd in an almost petty humor had tossed the perfumed handkerchief that she'd given him on the floor, even though he knew he'd end up having to explain that to Victoria later. It was the next events that left him in stunned horror and confusion and led to this chase through the Fortress.

They'd all started to leave. His "business" with the commandant and his daughter finished, he'd ignored them. It had been foolish. He'd only realized that Rosalinda had a pistol when he heard her father command her to kill him. Even then he hadn't been too worried about being hit; his main concern was protecting Victoria. Then he got his final surprise when Luis Ramone appeared out of nowhere, an almost mad look in his eyes, as he approached Rosalinda. The two had struggled for the pistol, before Rosalinda ended up falling over the edge of the balcony to land with a horrifying thud on the floor.

When he'd looked up from the scene, he had seen Ramone staring back down, seeming even more deranged than before, a rolled document sticking out from inside his coat. Then he disappeared from sight. It was at this point that Zorro had begun his pursuit. It had been when he'd discovered that the door to the deed room had been forced, that he'd realized why Ramone had made the journey to the Devil's Fortress— he wanted to get his hands on someone's land grant. Determined to prevent the _alcalde_ from succeeding in his scheme, Zorro followed him up the stairs.

Exiting cautiously onto the roof, Zorro spotted a gloved hand clinging to the outside of a decorative stone spire. How did the _alcalde_ think he was going to climb down the outside of the fortress? Even he wouldn't attempt it without a rope. Zorro couldn't resist smirking as he watched Ramone try to pull himself back over the parapet, and the shocked look when he spotted his nemesis was priceless to behold.

"Just get out of here!" Ramone said, before slipping a bit. "If you're not going to help, just stay away, Zorro."

Having Ramone trapped for the moment, Zorro smiled and said, "_Buenos dias_, Alcalde." Ramone simply stared back at him. Zorro kept his voice low and sinister. "The document."

With a ridiculous confidence, considering his precarious position, Ramone refused. "Never."

"Never may be sooner than you think." In order to demonstrate more fully, Zorro smacked one hand and then the other with his saber. Not enough to make him fully lose balance, just enough to encourage compliance.

Finally, Ramone gave in and said, "All right! All right! Help me, and I'll give you the document."

Zorro couldn't believe that Ramone thought he'd be that gullible. "You haven't been paying attention, Alcalde. The document first."

Resigned, Ramone nodded and carefully reached into his jacket to pull out the rolled paper, clinging to the stone as he did so. Zorro moved forward to take the document, confident that the _alcalde_ was in no position to make trouble, which is why he was unprepared when Ramone yanked off his hat and mask with his other hand.

For a moment the two stared at each other, before Ramone said in a tone of disbelief, "De la Vega?" His hold too precarious with the mask and hat in one hand and the document in another, the _alcalde_ slipped from the wall, while Diego watched in horror, unable to do anything to stop it. As he fell, Ramone exclaimed, "Nooo! I should have known!"

Diego looked over the parapet, stunned by the turn of events. This shouldn't have happened. He should have done something to prevent it. And now he had to find a way down to get his mask back without being seen. Fortunately, the Fortress now seemed to be deserted, and it wasn't difficult to make his way to a lower window unseen. Easily making the climb down, Diego managed to make his way to where Ramone's body lay on the ground. He stared at him for a long moment. All this time and he was gone just like that.

Forcing himself to move, Diego picked up his hat and mask from the ground and then pulled the document from the _alcalde's_ hand. He could hear people approaching, so quickly he replaced the mask. Through the gap in the hedge he could see a group of people walking past, including Victoria and her brother and Mendoza. Still shaken, he waited until they were past before stepping out, placing his hat back on his head.

Deciding to take a moment to see just what it was that the _alcalde_ had been so determined to steal, Zorro pulled off the ribbon and unrolled the parchment. He was actually shocked to discover that the _alcalde_ had taken the record of the king's deed of gift to his grandfather Sebastian. He had been trying to get hold of the de la Vega lands. While this was not the only copy of the deed of gift, it was the primary one, and its loss would make it very difficult for the family to retain control of the property. Deciding he could best keep it safe back home, Zorro concealed it inside his shirt, before following the group carrying Victoria's father.

Coming up to the group he quietly took the place of one of the men carrying the stretcher as they walked towards the mission visible in the distance. No one said a word until after they reached the mission grounds, where the priests were coming out to aid the injured. The stretcher was carefully placed on the ground near the church. Zorro reflected that Alfonso Escalante was beyond the need of any help they could provide. As the escaped prisoners moved away leaving the Escalantes, Mendoza and Zorro alone, it was Mendoza who managed to speak first.

"Uh, Zorro," he said hesitantly. "I don't like to ask, but do you know where the _alcalde_ is? I don't think he's going to like..."

"Sergeant," Zorro interrupted, a little more forcefully than he liked. "I'm sorry, but the _alcalde_..." He had to pause a moment before trying again. "The _alcalde_... while trying to climb down from the roof of the Fortress... he fell. I'm afraid he's dead." He could feel Victoria's eyes on him, though he kept focused.

"_Madre de Dios_!" Mendoza exclaimed, crossing himself. "What am I going to do?"

"I imagine you'll need to report his death to the nearby garrison. While they are going to be rather occupied by this mass escape, I'm sure they'll be able to dispatch a message to the governor," Zorro replied calmly.

"_Si_, you're right, and I'm going to have to get the _alcalde's_ body. _Madre de Dios_, this changes everything," Mendoza said, looking unsure.

"It certainly might," Victoria said, thoughtfully. She glanced at Zorro for a moment before letting her gaze fall back down to her father.

"I'm sorry," Zorro said softly.

"At least we got a chance to say good-bye to him," she said.

Ramon looked at Zorro. "I don't think you're going to want to stay much longer."

"No, you're right. I'll draw a little too much attention once the authorities start regrouping."

"That could be a while, Zorro," Mendoza said. "They were pretty well scattered."

Looking at his sister, Ramon said, "It might be a good idea for you to leave, too, Victoria. I can handle our father's burial."

"But..."

"You were there when everything happened, and you're not exactly inconspicuous. I don't think any one will notice a son who's just come in time to bury his father."

"_Si_, Señorita Victoria," Mendoza added his agreement. "It would be safer for you to travel now. Things could get ugly in the next day or so."

Victoria looked at Zorro for a moment. "I'm sure Diego will get here soon. I could always travel back with him."

Zorro had to repress a sigh. It would not be a good idea for Diego to show up. Rosalinda de la Fuente might be dead, but if any of the soldiers who had arrested "Salvador Guilleranz" saw Diego, it might turn dangerous even more quickly. And Ramon and Mendoza were right; Victoria would be much safer leaving with him now.

He cleared his throat and hoped that Victoria would understand the underlying meaning of what he said. "About Don Diego," he said. "I ran into him after a rather unfortunate encounter with the commandant's daughter and suggested that since I'd stirred things up, that it might be better if he let me continue alone. It no longer seemed to be a job for diplomacy." He paused for a moment to try to figure out what was the best way to deal with the situation.

"Then he's not too far away," Victoria interjected. "I know he wouldn't have started back home without knowing what happened."

"_Si_. I can escort you to him, Señorita," Zorro said carefully. "He'd certainly be a less conspicuous traveling companion than I would."

Victoria didn't seem entirely sure. "Ramon, I should..."

"I'll make sure it's properly done," her brother insisted.

She finally agreed. Zorro turned to Mendoza. "We're going to need to get your horses." He looked at Victoria. "Is there anything of yours left in the Fortress?"

She thought for a moment. "I left my coat in one of the guest rooms." She described the location quickly.

Zorro nodded. "I'll get that while Sergeant Mendoza gets the horses. Stay here with your brother and talk to the priests. We'll be back soon. Come on, Sergeant," Zorro said commandingly.

Mendoza just nodded and followed him. They returned to the Fortress in silence. As they neared the stables, Mendoza turned to Zorro hesitatingly. "Uh, Zorro, I was wondering. Señorita de la Fuente— did she really know your name?"

Zorro glanced at him. "No, Sergeant. She_ didn't_ know my name."

Mendoza looked very relieved. Zorro could only guess that Señorita de la Fuente had told the _alcalde_ the name he'd given her. Again, he was grateful for the caution that had prompted him to give a false name when he'd approached her unmasked.

They parted at the stables, and Zorro made his way back inside the Fortress for the last time. It seemed quite deserted now, but he continued to move cautiously, as he had no desire to meet any stray soldiers or the now disgraced commandant. It didn't take him too long to find the room that Victoria had been in or to grab her coat. He looked around to make sure there was nothing else. Looking outside, he realized it would be easy enough to scale down that way, so he did, while pushing away thoughts of the _alcalde's_ fall. He still hadn't absorbed the fact that Luis Ramone was gone.

Zorro made his way back to the mission and found that Mendoza had already made his way back with the horses. He must have taken longer than he thought. Alfonso's body had been moved, and Ramon and Victoria weren't visible at the moment. He took the opportunity to tell Mendoza where he could find the _alcalde's_ body, and Mendoza went off to find some men to help him retrieve it. As he moved away, he saw Victoria and Ramon exiting the mission. Ramon was talking with a priest.

Victoria walked quickly towards Zorro, who handed her jacket. Shrugging into it, she asked, "Do you really think it's too dangerous for Diego to come here?"

"I'm afraid so. There are guards who might recognize him under another name."

"I see," she replied. "But Diego will be the one riding with me, won't he?"

"Oh, most definitely. It's the least he can do all things considered..."

Ramon had finished talking to the priest and walked up to them. Victoria hugged him. "Is everything arranged?" she asked.

"_Sí_, there's nothing to worry about. It will all be done properly."

"I wish we could take him home," she said sadly.

"So do I, but this is best," Ramon replied.

"I know."

Ramon reached out a hand to Zorro, who shook it cordially. "Watch out for my sister, and tell Don Diego to do the same. I'm holding you both responsible."

Victoria interrupted. "Ramon, stop that. I've already told you I can look after myself. I have for years."

"I still worry, Victoria," he replied, giving her another hug.

"And I love you; don't worry. Now take care, and write me."

"I will," Ramon said. But he still directed a sharp look at Zorro before walking back towards the mission.

She looked at Zorro. "I suppose we should be leaving. Where's Toronado?"

"Not far away," he said. "Within walking distance, if you don't mind."

"I don't," she said.

Without another word, he took the reins of her horse, and they started walking away from the mission and the Fortress. It wasn't too long before they reached a small grove of trees. Zorro whistled, and in a few moments, Toronado appeared. Victoria smiled at the white forelock.

"Felipe's idea," he said. "We didn't want him to be recognized." He looked around carefully. There was no one on the road near them, and the trees were close enough that they blocked any view from the Fortress. He pulled his other clothes from Toronado's saddlebags. "I think it's time for Zorro to take his leave."

Victoria looked at him with a sly smile; for the first time since she'd seen him in the Fortress, she felt like teasing him. "Don't let me stop you."

He glared at her for a moment before disappearing behind some bushes. More quickly than she thought possible, he reappeared fully changed, carrying Zorro's clothes.

"How do you do that?" she asked.

"Practice," he replied, as he started packing Zorro's things away. "More than I've liked, in fact." He also slipped the parchment into the bag.

Once he finished, Diego turned around to see Victoria standing quite close to him. He stared at her for a long moment before reaching out to hug her very tightly. Relieved when she returned his embrace, he placed a light kiss on the top of her head. He felt as if he should apologize for failing her. He should have brought her with him in the first place. She shouldn't have had to follow him. He should have been more cautious. The _alcalde_ should never have been in a position to unmask him at all. He shook his head to try to clear it. They needed to move on quickly while it was still light if they wanted to get past the furthest of the patrols before either they learned what had happened at the Fortress or it got too dark to travel safely.

Gently releasing her, Diego said reluctantly, "We can't afford to wait any longer. I'd feel better if we're a lot farther north before nightfall."

Victoria looked up at him with an odd expression, but all she said was "Let's go." She mounted her horse as Diego mounted Toronado.

As they rode, Victoria watched Diego out of the corner of her eye. Something was bothering him, and she wondered if it had to do with the _alcalde's_ death. While she believed the fall was an accident, she felt that there was something more to the story, but she would wait until they stopped for the evening. This was not a conversation she wanted to tackle on horseback, not when he needed to concentrate on making sure they stayed out of trouble.

It was late in the day before they were past the range of the perimeter patrols, and Diego had taken several detours to keep them unseen. Victoria was amazed with his skill in navigating previously unfamiliar territory. She was still getting used to seeing the true Diego. Stopping at a junction, Diego turned to her.

"We have a couple of options for where we can spend the night. If we keep this way, we should reach the next _pueblo_ shortly after sunset. However, in the unlikely event someone is following us, they'd probably expect us to stop there, and it will make the trip back a bit longer."

"And the other option?" Victoria asked.

He looked a bit hesitant. "If you don't mind camping, we can head more directly north this way, and there's a small cave we can use for shelter. I spotted it on the way down."

"Of course," Victoria said with a smile. "You know, Diego, if I didn't know your secret, I might wonder why such a studious _caballero_ would have such a wide knowledge of abandoned windmills and empty caves."

"Admittedly, it comes in handier for Zorro, but I can think of several good reasons why a knowledge of the territory would come in handy even for a scholarly man."

"I'm sure you can," Victoria said in a light voice. "I can also think of several bad reasons why the son of a _caballero_ would want to know the locations of lonely refuges."

"Victoria, you don't think..."

"Of course not, I know you too well. But I take it you'd prefer the more northerly route."

"Well, it would be faster, but after trapping you in an abandoned windmill when you wanted to stay in Santa Paula, I thought this time you should choose."

"Oh, let's take the cave. The sooner we get back the better, and I rather liked the windmill."

He closed his eyes for a moment before looking back at her. "If you're sure."

"Of course I'm sure. What's the matter?" she asked.

"It's just that we're traveling alone— again," he said. "I'm afraid that sooner or later there's going to be gossip. I don't want to do that to you."

She smiled at him. "Don't be silly. We're not traveling alone."

"No?" he asked.

"No," she replied, holding up her fingers as she spoke. "There's you. There's me. There's Zorro. And..." she paused. "Salvador Guillaranz. So no one's going to think anything scandalous about such a crowd. Now let's go."

Diego sighed before urging Toronado forward. Victoria rode beside him as they headed away from the road. Now that he didn't have to exercise quite so much caution, Victoria wanted to get a few answers.

"So, Diego, when do I get to find out precisely what happened with Zorro and the commandant's daughter and Salvador Guilleranz? What did that handkerchief have to do with any of it?" Victoria asked, calmly, despite the fact she felt like she should be annoyed with him.

He was silent for a long moment. "It's a bit embarrassing, but I'll tell you." So he told her the story about rescuing Rosalinda de la Fuente from bandits and her giving Zorro a scented handkerchief which gave him away after he came back unmasked to help her.

Victoria shook her head a little disbelievingly. "Diego, you are far too trusting when it comes to women," she finally said.

"I may be trusting, but I'm still cautious."

"Which explains Salvador Guilleranz. But still— taking the handkerchief?"

He squirmed a little. "I was trying to be courteous."

"And that courtesy nearly did you in. Next time..."

"There may not be a next time."

She sat up a bit in her saddle. "That's true. If we get a good _alcalde_..."

"Zorro may finally be able to just disappear," Diego said.

"And there wouldn't be any need for you to pretend any more."

"I'd still rather change gradually, but no, I don't think I would." He went quiet as if lost in thought.

Victoria wanted to ask about the _alcalde_ but decided to wait. They rode on in silence again. It was close to dark when they arrived at the cave he mentioned. It wasn't very large but it offered a little protection from the elements. She was glad though that the sky was clear, and the weather wasn't too cold. Diego set about gathering wood for a fire, while Victoria got some food out of the saddle bags.

After they'd eaten, they both were sitting leaning against a cave wall, watching the fire. Glancing at Diego from the corner of her eye, Victoria finally decided to ask the question. "Diego, what really happened with the _alcalde_? I know it was an accident, but there was something more to it, wasn't there?"

He looked at her, a guilty expression on his face. "I'm afraid so," he said reluctantly. "It really was an accident; he had been trying to climb down from the roof. I don't know why he was trying to get down that way. He didn't have the skill, and he was trying to get back up. I'd figured out that he'd stolen something from the deed room and was insisting he give it to me before I'd help him back up. He'd agreed, reluctantly, and when I went to take it from him, he... he..." Diego forced himself to continue speaking. "He snatched my hat and mask instead."

"_Dios_, no!" Victoria exclaimed.

"Yes, and because he had the document in one hand and those in the other, he lost balance and fell. I tried... but I was too slow to be able to stop his fall," Diego said, and then slowly in a softer voice, "Maybe I was too afraid to try to help. After all, he'd seen my face and knew who I really was."

Victoria put her arms around him comfortingly. "Diego, I know you. You'd never deliberately let someone die. The _alcalde_ was responsible for his own fate." She kissed his forehead.

Diego returned her embrace. "I know you're right, but I wish I'd done things differently. I certainly should have brought you with me; if you hadn't come on your own..." He looked at her. "Or was it with the _alcalde_ and Mendoza?"

Victoria leaned against him. "After you'd left, the _alcalde_ said he was going to 'intercede' for my father. I didn't know what he was really up to or what might happen if you met along the way, and I couldn't just stay away. I caught up with them on the road south. And I don't want to talk about the trip; I would have preferred being in the company of a rattlesnake. Mendoza's the one you should pity though; he was the one stuck in the middle."

"I'm sorry, Querida," he said softly but with a trace of humor. "I should have thought this through more carefully."

"Oh, Diego, you can't anticipate everything, even if you are Zorro," Victoria said. "It all worked out in the end, and that's the important thing."

"I suppose it is," he replied. He caressed her cheek with one hand. "And I think we'd better get some sleep. If we get an early enough start in the morning, we might just make my great aunt Catalina's _hacienda_ by tomorrow night." He stood up.

"And actually have somewhere comfortable to sleep? That would certainly be a change for us," Victoria said teasingly, standing up as well.

"Well, I don't like being too predictable," he replied. "Good night, Victoria."

He leaned down to kiss her cheek. Before he could straighten back up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Good night, Diego," she replied.

He looked at her for a moment before moving over to his place on the other side of the fire. Tired from the day's events, he was soon asleep.

Much later, he awoke with a start. He'd been dreaming of the Devil's Fortress, but instead of the _alcalde_ he'd been the one who'd fallen. As he lay trying to catch his breath, he could hear a soft sound near by. After a few moments, he realized that it was Victoria crying. He sat up and moved over to where she lay near the far wall.

"Victoria?" he spoke quietly as he gently touched her shoulder.

Pushing herself up, wiping her face, Victoria said, "I'm sorry, Diego. I didn't mean to wake you. Please go back to sleep."

"You didn't wake me. What's wrong, Querida?" Diego said, pulling her into a gentle embrace, softly stroking her hair.

She didn't say anything for a while. When she finally spoke, it was so softly he could just make out what she was saying. "My father. All this time I thought he was dead. I should have realized, should have found him, done something. He shouldn't have died there."

Diego held her tighter. "Oh, Querida, There was no way for you to know, and once you did, you did everything you could. You were there for him in the end. No one could ask for a better or more dutiful daughter." He kept to himself the gloomy thoughts that even if she had known, things would probably have ended no better and possibly worse. There was no point in that.

She didn't say anything more, just hid her face in his shirt. As he held her, he tried not to think about how much he wished he had the right to hold her all the time or how very alone they were. Very soon, he could tell that Victoria had fallen back asleep. Not wanting to risk waking her, he settled back, planning to wait a few minutes before trying to move back to his blanket.

The first light of dawn hit his eyes, and Diego woke up disoriented. It took him a moment to realize where he was. Victoria lifted her head sleepily at his movement.

"Oh," she said quietly, sitting up. "I didn't mean to fall asleep like that."

"I didn't either," he said trying work out the stiffness in his shoulders. "I suppose we should get started."

Victoria sighed. "Yes, we should. This really is starting to become a habit for us." She stood up and started gathering the blankets.

"I think it's one I'd like to break," Diego said wryly as he made sure the fire was out.

"I don't know," Victoria said, flirtatiously. "I'd rather like to be able to make sleeping in your arms a habit."

He smiled back at her. "I'd like that too and soon, I hope."

It wasn't too long before they were riding back north. Now being more familiar with the territory, Diego found the return trip went faster, and it was certainly more pleasant with Victoria by his side. He found it almost ironic that they ended up arriving at his great aunt's _hacienda_ not that much later in the day as he had on the way down.

This time though he found Roberto outside with one of his grandsons almost as if they'd been waiting for them, and when he greeted them, Diego found out it was close to the truth. "Doña Catalina thought you might return either this evening or tomorrow." Roberto looked at Toronado. "I wanted to be prepared. I expect they've had a hard day."

"Thank you," Diego said.

Roberto took charge of Toronado, while his grandson took charge of Victoria's horse, leaving Diego and Victoria to go to the _hacienda_. Doña Catalina was waiting in the _sala_. She greeted them both warmly.

"Diego. Señorita Escalante, this is an unexpected pleasure. It looks like you two have had a tiring day."

"It was a long one, but the thought of reaching you, Aunt Catalina, made it worthwhile."

"Flatterer. But I imagine that what you would like, Señorita Escalante, is the chance to wash away the dust of travel."

Victoria smiled a little uncertainly. "I don't want to be a bother, Doña Catalina."

"Nonsense. You're no bother at all. You can borrow some of my granddaughter's things. Just let me tell the servants." Diego's great aunt left the room.

"I did promise you a comfortable place to sleep," Diego said.

"Yes, you did," Victoria replied. "And after today's ride, I am glad of it."

"I am too."

They stood a little apart. Diego almost reached out to take Victoria's hand but resisted as he was unsure when his aunt would return. Everything seemed so awkward again now that they weren't alone. He hoped that it wouldn't be much longer before he wouldn't have to pretend at all.

Victoria looked up at him curiously and seemed about to say something, when Doña Catalina reentered back into the room, followed by a maid.

"Señorita Escalante, Juanita will show you to your room. I hope you'll find everything you need, but if not, don't be afraid to ask."

"Thank you. You're too kind. Good night, Doña Catalina." Victoria looked at Diego for a moment. "Good night, Don Diego."

Diego took her hand for a moment. "Good night, Señorita Victoria," he said politely, hating how formal he sounded.

Victoria smiled at him slightly before leaving the room. Diego looked at his great aunt, who had a curious look in her eyes, but she didn't say anything until she'd sat down in a chair.

"Now, dear nephew, tell me what happened. You returned very quickly, which I expect means that your errand did not end well, and you brought Señorita Escalante with you, which was also unexpected as you certainly implied she was staying behind. I want to know if there was any trouble."

Diego sighed as he took a seat near her, trying to figure out what exactly he could or should tell her. He finally decided to keep it as brief as possible. "Apparently the _alcalde_ of Los Angeles decided to go after I left and Victoria got worried and followed me separately, and it was a good thing she did as that meant she did get to see her father before he died. She and her brother Ramon were with him in the end. Ramon stayed behind to handle the burial. And in the course of everything there was a mass escape of prisoners from Devil's Fortress and the _alcalde_ fell to his death, both of which might be blamed on Zorro who also happened to be there. It seemed best to head back to Los Angeles as quickly as possible."

"I see," his great aunt said in a tone that indicated that she understood more than what he was saying. "I think you were wise to be in a hurry."

"You seemed to expect it, at least Roberto says you did."

"Well, though I didn't want to say it at the time, I thought it was more probable that you would not find Señor Escalante there alive, and in that case you'd want to return as quickly as possible to Señorita Escalante," she said, evenly. "I am glad that she was able to say good-bye to her father. I'm sure that was a comfort to her." She leaned back in her chair for a moment, then turned towards Diego. "Do you expect any of the troubles at the Fortress to follow you back to Los Angeles? If so, I am certainly willing to say that you and Señorita Escalante have spent the last several days here. And no one here would contradict me."

"Thank you, Aunt Catalina, but I don't think we'll need you to lie for us. At least, I hope not," Diego said a bit uncertainly.

"I will if it's necessary," she said. Then she looked at him closely. "You're looking very tired, Diego. Go get some rest; it's the same room as before. I hope you don't intend to leave too early tomorrow because I expect to see the two of you at breakfast."

"As you wish, Aunt Catalina," Diego said, standing up tiredly. "Good night and I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, young man," his aunt said with a smile.

Diego made his way to the guest room, wondering vaguely which room Victoria had been given. He hadn't dared asked his aunt, and he wasn't going to go looking for her. Not now. She'd probably been given one of the rooms near his aunt's. He sighed a little, regretting the awkwardness of their parting. Perhaps soon...

As he entered his room, he was struck with the thought that his aunt hadn't asked a single question about Zorro. More than ever, he wondered just what his aunt might suspect. He knew that she would never do anything to harm him, but he wasn't about to give away his secret willingly to yet another person. Too tired to want to worry about this anymore, Diego decided to try to get some sleep.

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria woke up early the next morning, feeling much refreshed. It had been a relief to sleep in such a comfortable bed after the long trip down and back. It was amazing that she'd slept so well, considering that she was worried a bit about Diego. She knew he was still feeling guilty about the death of the _alcalde_, even though it wasn't his fault. On the other hand, all _she_ felt was relief that the tyrant of the _pueblo_ was gone and a hope for a future with justice in Los Angeles.

Oh, if Zorro could finally fade away and Diego could stop pretending to be less than what he was. On the ride back, Victoria had finally gotten a chance to start getting to know Diego as he really was, and it had finally hit her that it was the disguise he wore as Diego that caused him the most difficulty. She winced as she remembered times when she must have hurt him without meaning to, and she knew that he felt the barbs of his father's disappointment as well. While Alejandro was never deliberately cruel and in fact often seemed to try to suppress his irritation, Victoria knew that Diego was still hurt by it. It was the main reason she wanted Diego to tell his father the truth.

But Diego was so insistent about keeping the secret until Zorro was no longer needed. She knew he wouldn't have told her if she hadn't figured it out for herself. Even now she could tell he was still uncomfortable with trying to balance their private and public relationship. That awkward parting last night in front of his great aunt. She was looking forward to not having to hide her feelings or having to worry about acting a part.

As hopeful as she was feeling at the moment, Victoria knew that they could just as easily get another bad _alcalde_ as a good one. But at least there would be a respite, and during that time some things could be changed, if she could only convince Diego of that. It was strange to realize that he could be more stubborn than she was. He'd done such a good job pretending to be mild-mannered and malleable that she'd managed to overlook that fact.

Finally, Victoria got out of bed. She knew they would be starting back for Los Angeles sometime later in the morning. However, Diego hadn't been clear about the time. Getting back into her traveling clothes, Victoria debated for a moment what she should do. She decided to go to the _sala_.

The _hacienda_ was relatively quiet. She could hear the sounds of people moving around, but she didn't actually see anyone as she entered the _sala_, which was why she was surprised to hear Doña Catalina's voice from the corner of the room.

"Good morning, Señorita Escalante," she said. She was sitting on the sofa near a window, a book in her lap.

"Good morning, Doña Catalina," Victoria said. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Nonsense. Please sit down. I could use the company," Diego's aunt said, putting her book down on the table beside her, as Victoria hesitantly sat down in a nearby chair. "Wakefulness is a blessing and a curse of age. More time to do and think but also more time to miss those who've gone before us. It is on days like today that I most feel the absence of my dear Everardo." She sighed before turning to look at Victoria. "I'm sorry about your father, señorita. I remember him. A good man always ready to fight for what he believed in."

"_Gracias_, Doña Catalina," Victoria said a little sadly.

She didn't know what to say. Her feelings were still in a jumble of sorrow, guilt, and even anger. For so long she had thought her father dead and that she'd cried all her tears for him, only to lose him a second time, and she couldn't even stay to see him buried. And on top of that, there was the death of the _alcalde_ that could mean a brighter future. It was too much to figure out at once.

Doña Catalina reached out a hand to touch her arm gently. "There's no need to say anything at all." She sat back and changing the subject said, "I hope you slept well."

"Yes, very well, _gracias_."

"I'm glad. I know you've got a long day's travel today, though I suspect not nearly as long as you rode yesterday."

At this moment, Diego made his appearance. "Good morning, Aunt Catalina," he said.

"Ah, Diego, right on time," the old woman said cheerfully. "Though I think your father would be surprised. He seems to think you're a late riser. At least according to his letters."

Diego gave her a crooked smile. "Well, we would like to be back in Los Angeles before dark, and I know you're an early riser." He looked at Victoria brightly. "Good morning, Señorita."

Victoria smiled at him. "Good morning, Don Diego. I wasn't sure what you had planned. We didn't have time to talk last night. I didn't want you to have to look for me."

Doña Catalina grabbed her cane from beside the sofa. "I'm going to go tell Dolores that we're ready for breakfast."

"I can do that, Aunt Catalina," Diego protested.

"True, but I'd rather do it myself. Dolores is feeling a bit touchy this morning." She pushed herself up and left the room.

Diego quickly crossed the room to Victoria who had stood when Doña Catalina had. He took her hand in his. "Good morning, _Querida_," he said again. This time he kissed her hand as he would as Zorro.

"That's a change from last night," Victoria said with a slight blush.

"That's why," he said softly. "I'm sorry. This is still new."

"And we still need to be careful. I know," Victoria replied. "It's all right." _For now_, she thought.

Diego took a step back. He could hear his aunt's cane tapping along the floor. She stopped at the edge of the room. "Come along, you two. I want to be sure you've eaten before you go on your way."

"Yes, Aunt Catalina," Diego said politely offering his arm to Victoria, who took it without comment.

~Z~Z~Z~

By mid-afternoon, Diego and Victoria were nearing Los Angeles, though Diego was taking a slightly round-about route. Reining in, he turned to Victoria.

"I'm going to have to switch horses before any one sees me on Toronado," he said. "Do you want to ride into town alone or come with me?"

Victoria laughed. "You expect me to miss out on seeing where Zorro hides himself?" she asked incredulously. "Besides, Diego de la Vega, Zorro promised you'd see me all the way home, and I don't think you want to make a liar of him."

"No, I don't," Diego replied. "I just wanted to give you the choice."

"Well, now you know," Victoria said. "How much further is it?"

"Actually not much. We could be there in half an hour at this rate."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

It was just over half an hour later when they reached the hidden entrance to the cave. As there wasn't room for all three horses inside the cave, Diego and Victoria dismounted at the entrance. Victoria was a little startled when the door slid open after Diego stepped heavily on the plank.

"It's part of an old escape route from the _hacienda_," he explained, taking her hand to guide her inside.

After they were all the way inside, Victoria looked around in amazement. "This is part of an escape route?"

"Yes, I think my grandfather wanted not only an escape but a place to take refuge in case of attack."

Victoria walked over to the table that held his scientific equipment. "And this must be where you do your experiments as well. I had wondered."

"Most of them," Diego said. "Especially those most useful to Zorro. There's an old outbuilding where I do some token experiments, mostly so no one wonders where I actually do my work."

"Where do the stairs go?" Victoria asked.

"Up to the fireplace in the library." He crossed the room. "There's a viewing hole to check to see if anyone's there."

"Really?" Victoria went to look. Standing on the step she looked through and saw the library which was empty. "This is truly amazing," she said turning back to Diego. "Almost like something from a fairy tale."

"I must admit it has been something of a refuge for me," Diego said. "It's not just a place to hide Zorro's things, but a place where I can be myself without a disguise."

"That is another thing, Diego," Victoria said somewhat haltingly.

"What is?"

"Your disguise." She took Diego's hand in hers. "I understand your need to keep your secret from your father, but you often make yourself look worse than you need to. Your father loves you very much. Did you ever think that might be hard on him?"

Diego pursed his lips. He was usually so caught up in whatever was happening at the moment that he had not thought about it quite like that before. "I suppose you're right. But...what should I do?"

"For a start, let me be the one to tell your father a version of what happened at Devil's Fortress. I promise it won't give away your secret."

"As my lady wishes," Diego said with a grin as he leaned in to kiss her gently.

"I do wish." Victoria gently stroked Diego's face. "I think you've lost sight of the fact that your father doesn't need to know you're Zorro to know the man you really are."

"You think so?"

Victoria put her arms around Diego and rested her head on his chest. "I do indeed."

THE END

**Next up**: "The New Broom." It may be a while as I've just started it.


	4. The New Broom

**Disclaimer:** Don't own a thing.

**Summary:** A new _alcalde_, a new set of problems.

**Author's Notes:** I must admit I'm not an expert on either the history or geography of the time period, so when in doubt I tend to go with what the show does. So while I find it completely unbelievable that Diego could go to France, conduct his business, have an adventure and be back in California in the space of three months, that's what the show said (and since in "All for One", the _alcalde_ is supposed to be in Mexico City for three months rather than dead, it got moved back before "Devil's Fortress"). So in accordance with that I figure that three months is also long enough for news of Ramone's death to make it to Spain, where a new _alcalde_ could be appointed and have his job taken by De Soto, and for De Soto to arrive in California.

Also this story is a little more experimental than the other two, and I'm not sure if it's really a successful experiment or not. While I do use a little dialogue from the episode, I didn't use any of the scenes from the episode itself. They're all either before, between, or after scenes. I hope I've managed to get this story to make sense on its own, but it is probably best if you've seen the episode, as I've only made a few small modifications to the actual story.

Also I must express a sincere thank you to everyone who's bothered to review, favorite or follow these stories. I'm so unsure of what I'm doing here all feedback is more than welcome.

**Here Comes the New Boss...**

**... Same as the Old Boss**

**(The New Broom)**

For Diego, the last two and a half months had been incredibly busy and filled with an uneven mixture of satisfaction and frustration. While his father had been recovering, Diego had by necessity had to do more work around the _rancho_, as well as taking over the buying trips that his father couldn't do. It was a relief to be able to do the work to his father's satisfaction, as he was tired of disappointing him more than he had to. If it wasn't for the fact that his father still thought he slept too much because he still had to ride as Zorro, Diego would be very happy with how things were going at home.

And that was the major source of his frustration. With the death of the _alcalde_, Diego had hoped that he'd be able to retire Zorro. However, because of a series of raids by bandits that Mendoza and his lancers had been singularly incompetent in handling, he was spending as much time as ever wearing the mask. Much as he liked Mendoza personally, he wanted to punch him for letting things get into the condition they had. As far as he knew, Mendoza hadn't done nearly so badly when Ramone had been away in Mexico City, and he couldn't understand what had happened to him this time.

Perhaps, the fact that the _alcalde_ was dead and wouldn't come back had somehow led to this particular failure in leadership on Mendoza's part. Diego didn't really care why; all he knew was that he was hoping that no one put together the times that Zorro didn't show up with the times he was out of town. There had been enough flux in the troubles that he thought he should be fine there, but it was still a concern. As it was he just settled for knowing that Victoria and his father were busily expressing their displeasure with Mendoza rather than adding any additional fuel to the fire himself.

Of course, what had frustrated him more than anything was the fact that he'd been hard pressed to get any time with Victoria. Between his work at home, the trips for his father and his rides as Zorro, he'd hardly had any time to call his own. He'd hadn't realized before how much he'd come to rely on those brief moments with her as Zorro, until he had to give them up. He tried telling himself that it was a good thing for Zorro's relationship with Victoria to cool off before he started to show his own romantic interest in her, but it didn't make it any easier. He longed to be able to start courting her openly. But considering that the new _alcalde_ was due within a month, it seemed most prudent to wait to see what kind of a man they got before deciding the best way to proceed with a courtship.

The final bit of aggravation happened just when things had started to even out. His father was healed enough to insist on taking charge again, and the worst of the bandits had been taken care of. Diego finally thought he was going to have enough free time to get back to his experiments and finish his work on a particularly challenging project that he intended as a surprise for Victoria, when he was suddenly hit with the worst cold he'd had for some time. It was worse than the one he had the previous Christmas.

All those times of faking colds and the one time he wanted to be healthy, he found himself confined to bed, feeling absolutely miserable. The first three days were spent miserably coughing and sneezing and sleeping when the medicines he'd been taking actually worked. By the fourth day, he was beginning to feel human again though he ached all over and still had a nasty cough that was being treated by a honey/lemon/rum concoction that Maria the cook swore by. Despite that, he was tired of being in bed, but for once his father was insistent instead of exasperated.

It had been a long morning, and he knew he'd been annoying Felipe with his restlessness. He didn't feel like sleeping the day away, but he didn't feel well enough to read. He'd been staring dully at the ceiling when Felipe returned followed by Victoria, whose smile was enough to brighten his entire day.

"_Hola_, Diego," she said, coming up to his bed. "I hear you're doing better."

"Much better now," he said, taking hold of her hand and looking longingly into her eyes. He had the feeling Maria had doubled the rum in his cough medicine as he was feeling a bit woozy from his last dose.

Victoria smiled slightly, then in a teasing tone, said, "Felipe tells me you haven't been a very good patient today."

Diego glanced at Felipe who shrugged and gestured as if to say, "It's true."

"I must admit I can think of other things I'd rather be doing than lying here staring at the ceiling all day," he said, still holding her hand.

Victoria blushed a little, and when he realized how his words sounded, Diego blushed a little as well. His head was very fuzzy, and he was disappointed when Victoria pulled her hand away in order to move a chair close to the bed.

"Anyway, I thought I'd give Felipe a reprieve from your bad mood and come sit with you a while," she said as she sat down.

Diego looked at Felipe who signed that he wanted to read before he went and grabbed a book before going to sit in the farthest corner of the room from the bed.

Victoria glanced back at Felipe. "Your father doesn't think it's a good idea for me to be in your room alone, despite your weak condition. So Felipe can get some relaxation, and we can talk. Or I can read to you if you like." She reached out to touch his hand comfortingly

"A little of both would be nice," he said. "You have a very soothing voice. Is there any news of note?" He curled his hand around hers. She had such nice hands.

"I don't know if your father already told you, but the new _alcalde_ is due to arrive in two weeks."

Diego tried to think. His father had said something, but he'd been feeling too fuzzy-headed at the time. "I'm not sure. Do we have a name?"

"I'm afraid not. Mendoza was just notified of the arrival date. Of course, now, Mendoza's managed to start pulling himself together, so on the bright side, there's little danger that Zorro will be needed before our new _alcalde_ arrives," Victoria said.

"That's a comfort."

"I thought it might be," she said and then looking at him more closely. "I don't think this is doing you much good. Would you like me to read to you now?"

Diego really wished he hadn't taken that last dose of medicine. It was making it very difficult to focus on the woman he loved, but at least he wasn't coughing at the moment. "Only if I can still hold your hand."

Victoria stood up and placed a light kiss on his forehead. Her lips felt very cool to him. "I don't suppose that would do any harm," she said with a smile. Looking over at a stack of books on his bedside table, she asked, "Is there any particular one you'd like to hear?"

"No, _querida_. Pick what you'd like." He didn't think he could do much more than pay attention to the sound of her voice anyway.

Victoria looked over them and picked one that looked interesting. Sitting back in the chair, she opened the book and then reached up to take his hand again. He knew that it was awkward for reading, but he'd missed her too much lately. They'd had so little time alone, and even then they needed to be cautious— he needed to be cautious. He didn't think Victoria had fully realized what a strain on his self-control that night in the windmill had been. It was what had prompted him to be extra careful on the journey back from the Devil's Fortress, considering how alone they had been for the trip.

He looked at her as she started reading, and a mischievous thought came to his mind. After all, at the moment, he was hardly in a condition to more than mildly flirt with her with Felipe sitting across the room and his head woozy from his medicine. However, he wondered exactly what he could do within those boundaries. After all, it had been so much easier to flirt with her when he knew he only had a moment before he had to disappear. There was a certain amount of freedom within limitations. Well, he was holding her hand, and it might be fun to see if he could distract her from her reading, just a little.

Watching her from beneath his eyelashes and only half-listening to what she was reading, he started gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, just barely touching her skin. It was less than half a minute before he heard her catch her breath and stumble slightly in the reading. She darted her eyes upward, while he tried to look innocent. When she went back to reading, he continued lightly caressing her hand. She started hesitating, looking a little flushed as she continued. Finally, she stopped and looked him straight in the eye.

"I thought you wanted me to read to you," she said with a smile.

"I did— I do," he said.

She shifted the chair a little closer to his bed, so she could prop the book on top of the covers. "I'm not sure that you do," she said softly, running her fingers over his hand. "You know that two can play this game."

Diego smiled at her but before he could speak, the opening of the door startled them both. Victoria grabbed the book and sat back in the chair just as Alejandro came around the corner to check on his son. If he thought there was anything suspicious about their behavior, Alejandro didn't say anything. However, he did insist that Diego needed to get some sleep, so they didn't really get another moment alone before she had to leave. Diego reluctantly drifted to sleep, dreaming of a future where she wouldn't have to leave at all.

~Z~Z~Z~

Two weeks later, Diego was driving the carriage to the _pueblo_ to pick up Victoria for his father's party to welcome the new _alcalde_. He had been a little worried about his father's calculating expression when he told him what he was doing. Of course, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing if his father more than suspected his affections for Victoria, but at the moment, he was too nervous about the immediate future to want to deal with the added pressure of his father's opinions on the subject.

He had been quite surprised to discover that Ignacio De Soto was the new _alcalde_. From what he remembered of him from the university, he would have expected him to have a posting somewhere larger or on a battle front. He'd always seemed ambitious, determined to reach the top in spite of his lack of connections. Diego also remembered that he'd truly loved Madrid; he knew people born there who didn't know it as well as Ignacio. Los Angeles was a far cry from Madrid. Diego wondered if Ignacio had been given or if he'd sought the assignment.

Diego had great hopes either way that Ignacio would do his best for the _pueblo_. Coming from an unprivileged background, he should have sympathy for the plight of the farmers and peons who'd suffered under Luis Ramone, and correcting that man's mistakes as well as properly running the garrison should be a good way of satisfying his ambitions, whatever they might be. He was sure that Ignacio was a good choice for the _pueblo_; he just wished he could get rid of the slight feeling of anxiety that was nagging at the back of his head.

It was a relief to arrive at the tavern. Victoria looked beautiful as ever, and it was a pleasure to help her into the carriage and know that for the two mile trip back they would be free to talk to one another without dissembling.

"Did you know our new _alcalde_ well?" was her first question.

"No, not really. He made quite an impression on me." He remembered very well the student that seemed to make it effortlessly through classes, the one who'd thrown himself so enthusiastically into the theatricals, and the one who'd seemed to be more than a little sensitive to his less than privileged background. Fighting down a nagging doubt, Diego said with more enthusiasm than he felt, "He's just what this pueblo needs."

Victoria didn't sound nearly so sure. "I do hope you're right."

Still focusing on the positive, he said, "Well, if I am, tyranny and injustice might be things of the past in Los Angeles."

"And you can finally tell your father what you've been doing," Victoria replied with considerably more enthusiasm.

"And we should be able to convince Felipe that he shouldn't hide the fact that he can hear any longer," he said, thinking about the other important secret, one that he'd been telling Felipe wasn't really necessary even if it had been incredibly helpful.

"He's as stubborn as you are," Victoria said with a smile. "I should be cross that I had to find this out for myself. Neither of you told me."

Diego was a little embarrassed. "It's his secret really. And he already..."

"I know," Victoria interrupted mildly. "Neither of you were very happy when I figured out your secrets."

"When did you find out?" Diego asked. Felipe hadn't mentioned it.

"Your last trip to San Pedro. He slipped up, and I asked," Victoria said. "He did agree to teach me his signs so that we could argue better." She grinned. "It's coming along quite nicely, and it was fun keeping a secret from _you_ for a while."

"Well, if you've won over Felipe, perhaps between the two of us, we can convince him, especially if Zorro can retire."

"Yes, _if_..." Victoria sighed. She looked at Diego nervously. "If he can't, I have to know: is the _alcalde_ at all aware of how well you can fight?"

Diego shook his head. "I don't see how he could be. I'd really only just started with Sir Edmund when he graduated, and I never entered any competitions. I preferred to focus on my studies, and getting a reputation for being a good swordsman would have been too distracting. Most of my more advanced training was private."

"Good," Victoria said, sounding much relieved. "Then we're ready whatever happens." She leaned her head against his shoulder.

He kissed the top of her head, wishing the trip was longer or that they could skip the party entirely. He sighed as he saw the _hacienda_ ahead. Well, they did need to get to know how Ignacio planned to handle his new responsibilities before they could make any solid plans for the future.

~Z~Z~Z~

It was two o'clock in the morning when Diego and Felipe slipped down into the cave, and Diego was still furious at De Soto. He'd had such hopes for him, yet he should have realized; he should have paid attention to that feeling of uncertainty. Of all the misinformed, arrogant, ambitious fools. Had De Soto always been this way? Diego now understood that De Soto felt that the quick capture of a notorious bandit was a sure way to promotion to a better command, a larger town.

Damn the man. He could have actually found out whether Zorro was an actual threat before deciding to capture him using such heavy-handed methods of placing all the leading citizens of the community under house arrest in the de la Vega _hacienda_, just because he suspected them of being possible conspirators with Zorro. And launching his excesses with the damnable declaration of bringing Los Angeles to heel...

Diego was at least grateful that De Soto wasn't as ruthless as Palomarez. He certainly wasn't very clever or politic by immediately alienating the people who could be his best support. Did De Soto really believe that the distance from Madrid would allow him such sweeping powers? There was still authority in California that he'd have to answer to.

But more than anything at the moment, he was glad that he'd managed to get out of the way while his father was managing to figure out how to accommodate everyone at the _hacienda_, his anger practically a palpable force. Diego wasn't even sure who had been given his room as he'd insisted he'd rather sit up reading. It was the one way he could be sure of keeping the library to himself, and disappearing while everything was being settled kept him from letting his own temper get away from him.

Diego finished changing his clothes, and somehow he'd managed not to kick over anything in his rage as he kept thinking of how tired he was of Zorro. It had been almost three years. Three years of having to defend the people from unjust leaders or bandits because of the failure of leadership. When he started, he never expected that he'd be doing this for years. And now it looked like there was no end in sight if De Soto couldn't be persuaded that doing his duty would be the better choice.

He finally turned to Felipe, who had been staring at him with some concern. "What is it?"

Felipe signed. "You're too angry. It's not safe."

Diego took a deep breath. "You're right. I need to calm down, especially if I'm to give our new _alcalde_ a proper introduction to Zorro. Perhaps, we can convince him that trying to capture Zorro is not an easy step to promotion."

Felipe looked skeptical.

"If nothing else," Diego said, as he started saddling Toronado, "Zorro will make sure he understands that such heavy-handed methods are not going to get the results he wants. Maybe if he gets concerned with how he looks to those higher up, that will keep him in line. I'm sure that Zorro can torment him indefinitely if necessary. Our school days may be over, but I'm not adverse to playing some childish pranks."

Felipe smiled at that. Diego felt calmer now and more in the mood to deal with De Soto. He knew he had a few hours before De Soto would return to the _cuartel_, and he planned to have a surprise waiting for him.

~Z~Z~Z~

It had always been ridiculously easy to break into the _cuartel_, and this time was no exception as half the lancers were at his family's _hacienda_ and the other half was busily sleeping. With the shutters closed, it was unlikely that anyone would notice the light, as Zorro spent a little time looking around De Soto's quarters. He glanced at a portrait of Machiavelli on the wall. De Soto's inspiration, perhaps?

De Soto's things had already been unpacked, and Zorro looked through the _alcalde's_ wardrobe with amused contempt. Had De Soto always been so vain about his appearance? He couldn't really remember. Standards in Madrid had been quite different than here in California, and he'd never really paid attention to fashion anyway. The important point was that there was room enough to hide in there when necessary.

His perusal of De Soto's clothes finished, Zorro looked around the room before fastening on the bed as the appropriate thing to booby trap. It really didn't take that long to loosen the fittings sufficiently so that it would collapse the moment anyone tried to sit on it. And once that was accomplished, there was nothing to do but wait. He looked around, since he had no intention of spending the next couple of hours in that stuffy closet.

He saw some books on a table. Glancing at the top one, he saw it was Machiavelli's _The Prince_. So indeed an inspiration. It had been a while since he'd read it. He glanced inside and was appalled to see what a truly dreadful translation it was. Clearly, De Soto had not been joking about cheating, or he never would have been satisfied reading this version. Zorro wondered how he'd managed, without the money or connections for really good bribes. Probably found a scholar more in need than himself. Someone smaller, easily bullied perhaps. His former optimism thoroughly gone, Diego tried to remember more about De Soto.

They really had been only bare acquaintances. Seniors and freshman didn't socialize, and all he could remember from the time in the dramatic society was the relish with which De Soto played Judas. Truly, all Diego seemed to remember were the superficial things students talked about like De Soto's apparently natural talent which had been mentioned along with how amazing his ability was considering his background.

Still frustrated, Zorro tossed the book back on the table and settled back to wait.

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego leaned back against the wall and stared up at the sky. The first conflict was over, but he had no illusions that the war had been won. He still wasn't sure if humiliating De Soto so completely was about strategy or anger.

Oh, it had been fun toying with him. The bed had collapsed on cue, and he'd gotten to mock his clothing sense. The fact that De Soto in the ensuing sword fight managed to slice his own beloved painting of Machiavelli had been a delightful bonus. De Soto was a marginally better swordsman than Ramone, but he was no real challenge. Zorro had taken great pleasure in punching him out before tying him and forcing him to ride backwards to the _hacienda_ in order to release the prisoners.

However, Diego was well aware that while personally satisfying, he'd made De Soto more determined to capture Zorro if only to avenge his own humiliation. But at least, De Soto was now aware that his excesses would not go unanswered. Diego had also been careful as himself to point out that an obsession to capture Zorro could just as likely harm his career as help it. With all that, Diego still wasn't sure if there could have been a better way to handle the situation.

"You look very grim, Diego." Victoria's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Shouldn't you be happier? Zorro made our _alcalde_ back down completely, and your home is no longer a prison."

Shaking his head slightly, he looked down at her. He took her hand in his. "I'm sorry, _querida_. I think it's just disappointment. I was so hoping that things would be different." He sighed. "Well, perhaps they are in a way. Ramone wanted land and influence. De Soto wants to return to Madrid a hero. But it doesn't change the fundamental injustice of it all."

Victoria reached up to caress his face. "I know, _mi amor_. But we will still fight it the best we can and hope that this tyrant does not last as long. And we can still continue our plans for the future. We can't let this make us lose hope."

Diego let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You're right, of course. I'm just afraid that I've made things more difficult. But we will find a way." He leaned down and kissed her.

THE END

**Next up**: "A New Lease on Love." As the first episode whose plot is seriously affected by the change, this one is probably going to be long. But hopefully not so terribly long to write as I've spent a lot of time plotting out just what to do with this one.

Technically speaking the next two episodes in production order are "The Buccaneers" and "A New Beginning." However since the only basic change I see in them is Zorro being more courteous and less flirtatious, I'm skipping them. They still happen; they'll just be referred to in passing in the next story, and there'll be a shorter time frame between them.


	5. A New Lease on Love 1

**Disclaimer:** Don't own a thing. And oh, I suppose I should add that anything you recognize from the episode is clearly not mine either.

**Summary:** Sometimes love can make you just a little bit crazy, and every couple is going to have issues once in a while.

**Author's Notes:** Finally, the primary reason I decided to go with mostly production order rather than broadcast order— the fact that it also gave me more episodes to play with was more of a bonus. After all, it is a bit easier getting Diego and Victoria together if she hasn't left a man at the altar after declaring her great love of Zorro.

The truth is that I've never really liked "A New Lease on Love." It seemed a bit out of character for Victoria to suddenly decide to marry someone else without even making some kind of attempt to contact Zorro. It was all too sudden and felt contrived. And the _alcalde's_ daft scheme didn't distract Zorro so much that he couldn't have visited and tried to find out what Victoria was thinking. That one sad attempt of Diego's to talk to her was not really sufficient.

It actually took me a while to figure out what to do with the plot as I didn't want to drop the character of Juan Ortiz, but I wasn't going to have Victoria agree to marry him. I hope this solution works (it doesn't involved turning him into a villain or anything like that). Also, if anyone's been missing Victoria's temper, you'll be happy to know it's back in this story, even if mildly. And if you haven't, well it's still back anyway, and Diego's got his own issues as well. Also, once again, I'm having a little problem with the timing (actually I don't think it's clear), so I'm arranging things to suit myself. And sadly, the _alcalde's_ daft plan is still here, but things play out a little bit differently than in the episode on both De Soto and Zorro's sides.

Also thanks to Ghetto Outlaw who helped me when I got stuck on the penultimate scene of the story. I couldn't have finished without him. Also as this ended up being a bit long, I decided to divide it into two parts to keep it from being too unwieldy.

**Love and War**

**(A New Lease on Love)**

**Part 1**

Victoria entered the main room of the tavern where the reception party was being held, outwardly smiling but inwardly seething. It had taken her a few moments to compose herself after Doña Maria left her before she could even fake the smile.

She knew that Doña Maria was an incessant and insistent matchmaker, but she'd never turned her sights on her before. And Victoria couldn't believe what she'd said about Diego. First, telling him to his face that he was a lost cause without a romantic bone in his body, and then after he'd gotten swept away by his father, saying that the only way that Don Alejandro would get him married was to arrange it himself and drag his son to the altar, as Diego was the most cautious bachelor in the territory.

Somewhere in there, Victoria started losing her temper as the implication seemed to be there was no point in trying for Diego, and thus she should let Doña Maria find her someone else, someone more available, even if he wasn't as rich. Victoria had to count to five before she pointed out she had no need for any man's money. Doña Maria just agreed with her and still insisted on offering to help her find a husband before it was too late. Desperate to get rid of her, Victoria told her she'd think about it. Zorro's name had not been mentioned once.

Victoria kept the smile on her face as she congratulated the happy couple and then looked around to see where Diego had gotten to. The smile immediately fell when she saw that he'd been cornered by Señorita Rosita Gonzalez, a cousin of the bride. She'd heard rumors about the señorita's last visit which had been well over a year ago; apparently she'd been quite blatant in her pursuit of him then, while he'd been just as obvious in his (polite) disinterest. From the looks of things she was still as determined now as then.

Victoria had thought she'd matured since the time she'd gotten into a food fight over Zorro. She had been grateful he hadn't been there to see it, though she realized that Diego had to have heard all about it, since it had been with his cousin's fiancée. However, seeing Señorita Rosita fluttering her lashes at Diego, who to his credit appeared to be trying to find a way to excuse himself, made her want to march across the room and yank that presuming young woman's hair. However, she was determined to stay where she was. Doña Maria's implication that she'd been chasing Diego still hung in her mind. She certainly had chased Zorro, even if he did start the flirtation, and what had that gotten her? Into this situation: standing across the room from the man she loved while some annoying female felt free to flirt with him. She hated it and hated being reminded of how far they still had to go before they could get married.

Concentrating on smiling again, Victoria deliberately moved in the opposite direction to where Diego was standing. Long years of running a tavern gave her the ability to fake a certain amount of sociability, and she needed every ounce of it. Especially since it seemed to take Diego forever to disentangle himself from the grasping señorita and finally seek her out just before the dancing started. His own mask seemed to be cracking just a bit as she could see worry in his eyes. She forced herself to smile more cheerfully. This was not the time or the place to give vent to any of the frustration she was feeling. Besides, she was getting to spend some time with him, even if they were still playing at being friends.

The rest of the reception went in a blur. She and Diego did dance more than once, but there seemed almost to be a conspiracy to keep them apart. If there wasn't someone wanting his attention, it was someone else wanting hers. She couldn't even properly say good-bye to him, when he and his father left. She was grateful when she could finally be alone and think. Things couldn't continue the way they were much longer. They needed to have a talk soon, as Victoria had no intention of putting up with Doña Maria's matchmaking attempts, and too late, she realized how she'd left herself open to them.

~Z~Z~Z~

Later that night, Diego slipped down to the cave. He wished he could ride into town to talk to Victoria, but after all the trouble they had gone to distance Zorro from Victoria, he couldn't risk being seen slipping in or out of the tavern, not now. He pulled the covering from a painting standing at the side of the room. He'd been laboring over its creation since shortly after his return from the Devil's Fortress and had completed it just two weeks ago, putting its frame on this past morning. It really was the best and most complicated work he'd ever done, and he still wasn't sure if he should give it to Victoria. While it had seemed a good idea in the beginning, he was wondering whether she'd like it or not; he knew when he wanted to give to her, if he could only be sure of the reception.

He sighed as he thought about Doña Maria's words before he left the church. Did he really appear so hopeless to everybody, or was she still annoyed that his father had told her that he had no interest in her assistance in arranging a marriage for his son? He truly was grateful that his father had not been seriously pressuring him into marriage. As painful as the endless references to grandchildren had been, Diego would have hated to have to explain exactly why he was apparently uninterested in matrimony to anyone who wasn't Victoria.

But really, he had been spending more time than ever with Victoria. Did no one think anything of that? Or did they really think he thought of her only as a friend? Or even worse that he was using her to keep other women away? If so, it really was time to correct that misapprehension.

Sitting down at his desk, he stared at the painting. He should already have started showing his true intentions in public; he knew that. But fear was a powerful force, and De Soto's obsession with Zorro had kept him frozen in place, despite the fact that he lost more respect for De Soto every day. He'd hardly had time to recover from the shock of De Soto's initial idiocy before the arrival of Captain Jarrett and De Soto's hare-brained attempts to discover the location of the treasure of Port au Prince. Diego still wasn't sure whether or not Captain Jarrett really knew its location. He changed his story so easily, but Diego was sure he loved his son and didn't really begrudge him what he could get to take care of his family, especially, since De Soto had so infuriated him by having Sepulveda, of all people, impersonate him.

He couldn't really get over his anger at that entire badly handled kidnaping scheme. When Luis Ramone used an imposter, he had at least been clever. He'd hired an outsider, a swordsman to tarnish his reputation. He hadn't dressed up the least likely of his men as Zorro in order to manipulate Jarrett into revealing the location of the treasure. It was just so insulting. While generally he'd consider the price of a treasure well worth it if it meant De Soto left, he wouldn't want to dignify such a badly thought out scheme with success.

Sighing again, Diego wondered when he'd become such a mess. So contemptuous of De Soto, yet so concerned about what he could do, that he'd let himself get stalled. And he saw Victoria's face earlier. She was getting impatient, and he couldn't blame her for it. Somehow, he had to find the solution. Standing up, he went and covered the picture again. He'd box it up tomorrow. And tomorrow, he'd think of the right way to start courting Victoria.

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria moved around the tavern in a highly irritated state. Diego had come for an early dinner, but he was busily talking to Mendoza, and since clearly they were talking about the _alcalde_'s latest scheme, she knew not to interrupt. She was really starting to hate the need for Zorro, especially since it seemed to make Diego more cautious when he wasn't wearing a mask.

And now Doña Maria had brought a suitor for her. A guitar-playing suitor. A guitar-playing suitor who couldn't seem to recognize a hint if it slapped him in the face, and she _was_ fighting the urge to slap him. She definitely wasn't joking about turning his guitar into firewood; his playing was dreadful and his singing worse. She'd heard Diego play the guitar. He was as gifted with that as with the piano. And with all that, he knew that she would hate this particular kind of serenading. But not this weak-kneed _caballero_ whose voice was grating on her ears.

As her temper flared, Victoria knew she should have flat out told the matchmaker she wouldn't be interested— at all— ever. And though she knew she shouldn't be, she was also getting annoyed with Diego just sitting there and watching. Why didn't he do something? He was good at creating distractions, and yet he just sat there and made her do all the hard work in getting rid of them. "Aflame with desire." Indeed. The twit couldn't even speak for himself, and Doña Maria couldn't come up with anything more than a lame romantic line. She'd been too nice saying she wouldn't be available for three months. Three centuries would be more like it. Victoria headed for the kitchen, needing to cool down for a while.

Diego watched her go with some concern. From the looks she shot him as she headed into the kitchen, she seemed to be as irritated with him as the pair who'd just left. However, he had no idea why exactly she was angry with him. It wasn't like she needed him to rid her of the pair. She'd done that very well on her own. In fact, he wouldn't have wanted to try to interfere while she was in such a tempestuous mood.

Alejandro laughed. "Well, I never expected Doña Maria to get started on Victoria."

Mendoza looked sideways at Diego. "You know, I always thought that if she wasn't interested in Zorro she'd..."

"What, Sergeant?" Diego asked, more sharply than he meant.

"Oh, never mind," Mendoza went back to concentrating on his drink.

Standing up, Alejandro said, "Come on, Diego. Felipe should be back by now."

Glancing back toward the kitchen, Diego reluctantly stood up to follow him. He wished he could think of a good reason to delay, to speak to Victoria, but he couldn't, especially since from her apparent mood, she'd be as likely to throw something at him as talk to him.

He rode by his father's side, cursing his cowardice along the way. How could he be so bold as Zorro and so timid as Diego? No wonder Victoria seemed angry with him. He was angry with himself.

His father glanced at him. "Diego, you haven't uttered a single word since we've been riding from town."

"Just a little concerned about Victoria."

"Because the matchmaker's turned her sights on her? Victoria knows her own mind; she's not going to let herself get swayed so easily. Although..." Alejandro looked thoughtfully at his son, before continuing, "if Victoria is interested in finding a husband, you should consider courting her yourself. Friendship is an excellent basis for marriage, and it seems to me that the two of you have been getting closer since your return from Devil's Fortress. I've always thought of Victoria as a daughter. I wouldn't mind making it official."

Diego tried to keep his voice even as he replied, "You have a point, father. I'll think about it."

They entered the courtyard. "Well, don't think too long, son," Alejandro said as he dismounted. "Or you might be too late. Women can be very unpredictable. And neither of you are getting any younger."

"Yes, father." Diego tried not to sigh as he dismounted.

Felipe came out to greet them and Alejandro asked about a shirt he'd expected from Spain. Once he'd heard that it arrived, he headed inside, and Felipe told Diego that he'd seen the _alcalde_'s lancers guarding a crate, which made Diego wonder why a supposed statue would require an armed guard.

"It's too late to go tonight, and from what Mendoza said at dinner, they'll be moving it slowly; Mendoza says it's supposed to be here by the end of the week. So tomorrow evening, I think Zorro will take a look at this mysterious crate. It won't be hard to find the soldiers."

Felipe signed. "If there's a trap?"

"Oh, the whole thing is probably a trap; we'll just have to make sure Zorro doesn't get caught in it."

~Z~Z~Z~

The next morning, Victoria was bustling around the tavern when she looked out the window and saw Doña Maria and another man walking towards the tavern. She was not in the right frame of mind to deal with this. She headed for the kitchen, pulling off her apron.

"Pilar, I'm going for a walk," she said to the young woman. "You don't know where I'm going; you don't know when I'll be back. However, I will be back in time for the lunch crowd. Will you and Alicia be fine?"

"Certainly, Victoria," Pilar said with a smile. "I take it, that it's Doña Maria you're avoiding."

"Yes, it is," Victoria said, heading out the back door speedily.

Victoria was careful about leaving town. She didn't want to be spotted, and she was determined to finally have a talk with Diego. Things couldn't go on the way they were, but she was getting more agitated along the way. She was relieved that it was Diego who opened the door, as she hadn't thought what she'd do if she met his father.

"Diego, we need to talk," Victoria blurted out as soon as she saw him. "Alone," she added, looking around nervously.

Relieved since he'd been planning to go to the tavern to speak to her, he simply nodded and led the way to the fireplace, so they could slip down to the cave.

"Felipe's running an errand for my father, so no one will disturb us now," he said.

He offered her a chair, but she was feeling too irritable to sit.

"I narrowly avoided the matchmaker this morning," she said. "She seems determined to find me a husband— who's not you. She's very sure you're utterly opposed to matrimonial entanglements."

Then his suspicions were right. "I'm sorry."

For some reason the apology infuriated her. "Sorry? Is that all you have to say?"

"No," he replied, trying frantically to gather his thoughts. "I'm just not sure what to say."

"Like last night," Victoria said. "You could see how I was being annoyed. Why didn't you do anything last night?"

"I didn't like to interfere, and it didn't seem like you needed any help," he said. It sounded like a feeble excuse, even as he said it.

Victoria thought so as well. "Just because I didn't need it didn't mean I didn't want it."

"I know, but..." Diego protested.

"But what?" Victoria didn't even know why she was getting so angry with him. "I know you didn't spend all that time trying to learn what the _alcalde_'s current scheme is. You could have helped me."

He looked down. "You're right, but I wasn't sure at the time. Since you were handling things with your usual flair, I thought it would have been awkward to jump into the middle."

"Flair? Temper you mean," Victoria said as that temper flared some more. "Diego, I've seen you jump into far worse situations— as yourself. You remember Sir Miles Thackery? That one could have killed you. This— this— wasn't even in the same league."

"I know, and that's why I hesitated. You weren't in any danger, except from minor annoyance."

"That was no minor annoyance to me, Diego," Victoria said. "It was yet another slap in the face that no one even guesses that we have any kind of relationship and that I might as well be your mistress for all the public acknowledgment I get from you."

Diego was horrified. "That's not true." He reached out a hand towards Victoria, but she didn't seem to see it as she turned away, her arms tightly folded.

"I'm starting to wonder if it matters what is true or just what appears to be true," Victoria said. She'd deliberately stepped away from Diego, because as irritated as she was feeling, she knew she'd melt if he touched her, and this was not a time to melt.

Watching her anxiously, Diego forced back his protestations for a moment. He needed to keep calm. "What do you mean?"

Victoria looked anywhere but at him as she paced around the room. She wasn't even sure what she meant, but she struggled to find the words to describe what was bothering her. "I mean I chased Zorro. Very obviously in fact, despite the fact that I still say you— he— started it. It didn't seem so bad at the time. After all, he was a mysterious hero— a legend who existed outside of the normal rules. But it got us into this mess. And you— I mean Diego not Zorro— you're a _caballero_ and probably the most eligible bachelor in the territory who, as I had pointed out to me, is very good at escaping from flirtatious señoritas, like Señorita Rosita." Victoria couldn't hide her annoyance with that particular young woman. "I don't want... I won't... I'm not going to chase _you_, Diego de la Vega. I can't. If this is going to work, you're going to have to do something." She took a breath but still refused to look at him. "And that means not just sitting by when a matchmaker is working to convince me to marry someone else."

Diego's own frustration with himself and the situation started bubbling up. "What did you expect me to do? Challenge him for bothering you?"

Victoria whipped around. "No, that's more like something Zorro would do. But surely there's something you could do to save me from these matchmaking attempts." She shook her head as she tried untangling all her thoughts. "You're a poet, a scholar, a musician, and an artist. Somehow in all that, I'd think something could come to mind."

Diego glanced back towards the thin box behind the desk. "Victoria, I love you."

"I know, and I love _you_. I just want it to stop being in the dark. It's been five months, and now this..." Victoria turned back away. "If not now, then when? I just need you to decide. And... I... need to get back to the tavern."

She almost ran to get out of the cave, ignoring Diego calling her name. She knew she wasn't being fair, but Diego was better at talking than she was, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear what he had to say, even if it was exactly what she wanted to hear. She was tired of sneaking moments with him, and right now anything he'd say would still be said in the shadows, so what good would that be. It was fortunate that no one was in the library since she'd forgotten to check before heading out the door.

All the way back to the tavern, Victoria was trying to get her thoughts together. She was a bundle of nerves. She was torn between running back to Diego to apologize and being irritated that he wasn't running after her. It didn't help that the matchmaker had actually waited in the tavern with her second prospective suitor. The only good thing about that was after Victoria's loud and determined brush off of this one, the matchmaker stormed out calling her impossible, which made Victoria hope that she'd finally taken the hint.

The lunch crowd was starting in, and Victoria headed back to the kitchen to get things ready. In the mood she was in, she had no intention of directly interacting with any more of her customers. Pilar and Alicia could handle them, and she was going to simply concentrate on the cooking and trying to regain her equanimity.

She'd just started chopping vegetables when she heard a voice. "Victoria."

Looking up she was surprised to see Juan Ortiz. He hadn't been in Los Angeles since he'd last gone away to sea a little over four years ago. She smiled politely as she replied, "Juan."

He walked into the kitchen a little nervously. "I wanted you to know, I'm going to be promoted to captain," he said.

Continuing with her work, Victoria said pleasantly, "Well, that's wonderful. Congratulations." She was pleased for him but wondered why he was telling her this.

Still moving nervously around the kitchen, Juan continued, "I shall be at the Admiral's office in Monterey. No more sailing. I'd like you to come with me... as my wife."

Victoria was stunned. Four years since she'd heard from him and almost the first words out of his mouth were a proposal? What made him think she was looking for a husband? Then she remembered his brother José had been at the tavern at the same time as the guitar-playing suitor and would have told Juan all about it when he arrived. Before she had time to get over the shock, he spoke again.

"Please. Don't say anything just yet," he said, and then more pleadingly. "Victoria, we've known each other all our lives."

"Yes, that's true," she replied trying to get her thoughts together, but she was still too shocked to find the right words. "We were childhood sweethearts. But we are no longer children."

"No, but I never stopped loving you. I never will. You were in my heart all those years I was away at sea," he said with determination, coming closer to plead his case.

"Juan, I can't..." Victoria started.

He jumped in. "I will be by your side every day. My prospects are excellent. I will do everything in my power to make you happy."

He sounded so sincere, and while Victoria found it painful, she couldn't let him go on. "But..."

He interrupted her yet again. "Please, don't answer yet," he entreated. "I know this is sudden, but give it some thought. I'll come back later." He was out the door before she could say another word.

Victoria just stood staring at the curtain in disbelief, almost unable to believe what just happened. He hadn't so much as written her a line since he'd gone back to sea, and here he was proposing and then leaving. She shook her head as she realized both that he knew her better than her two prospective suitors and that she'd just gotten through doing the exact same thing to Diego. She couldn't believe that Juan wanted to marry her after all this time. At one time, she might have thought it romantic; now she just felt guilty. They had been very close as children, and they'd seemed to drift together on those occasions when he'd returned home once he'd first gone to sea. But after his last visit, she'd not seen or heard from him, and Diego had always loomed larger in her mind and heart. She turned away from the door to continue with her food preparation.

She was startled when she heard a slight cough behind her. Turning she saw Diego standing just inside her kitchen looking a bit unsure. Her throat seemed to dry up, and it took all her concentration to keep hold of the bowl in her hands.

"I'm sorry," he said, taking a step further in. Victoria knew it wasn't just an apology for startling her.

At that moment, Alicia came into the kitchen to get something. She looked at the two of them curiously before she slipped back out. Victoria began to really regret running out on Diego earlier. They could always have talked in the library with fewer chances of interruptions than here.

Diego cleared his throat and glanced backwards uneasily. "Was that Juan Ortiz I saw leaving?" he asked, with an elaborate casualness that didn't really fool Victoria at all.

She didn't really want to talk about it, but she wasn't about to keep Juan's proposal a secret. "Yes. I was very surprised to see him. He told me he'd gotten promoted and was about to be stationed in Monterey." Victoria decided to concentrate on cooking while she told him. It made it easier. "And then he asked me to marry him."

For a long moment Diego was silent. Then quietly, "I'm not surprised." He walked a little closer. A little hesitantly, he asked, "What did you tell him?"

Victoria looked up at him with some concern. Something in the very mildness of his tone worried her.

Concentrating on mixing her ingredients, she said. "He didn't give me a chance to say anything. He wanted me to think about it before answering."

"I see," Diego said, in clipped tones. "What are you going to tell him?"

"I'm not sure," she said. Turning him down wasn't the same as rejecting the matchmaker's suitors. She looked up at Diego and was startled to see a trace of fear in his eyes.

"Not sure?" he asked, obviously trying to keep calm.

"It's not as easy rejecting the proposal of a man who's claimed to love me for so long. He's not like the two peacocks Doña Maria inflicted on me. And even though it's not any of his business, he's bound to ask if there's someone else— men always do— and I have no idea what to say to that," she said, frustration and irritation rising. Looking at him, she continued, "You didn't think I was thinking about saying yes, did you?"

The look in his eyes told her very clearly that that was exactly what he thought. "You two were very close," he said defensively and in a lower voice, "In fact, in one of his letters to me in Spain, my father said he thought you two were probably going to get married."

"What? We were never close to getting married," Victoria said, her anger returning as she remembered Zafira. "_I_ am not the one who almost got married. Not even just engaged— married." She'd tried to forget that. Really she had. After all, she'd had no claim on him. He hadn't even known she'd had a crush on him, but it still hurt. "I'm not the one who wasn't important enough to remember when you went away to Madrid. I'm not the one who was heartbroken over someone else. I never forgot _you_." It took a great deal of effort to keep her voice down.

"Victoria, please," Diego said, stepping closer to her. "I..."

This time it was Pilar who entered the kitchen for something else. Victoria turned back to her cooking while trying not to shoot daggers at her. Nothing was going right today. She was angry at everybody and everything. She probably should have pretended she was sick and stayed in bed. It would have been better than dealing with this right now when she couldn't think clearly.

When Pilar left the kitchen, Diego said urgently, "Victoria, please, can we take a walk? Go outside? Talk a little more privately?"

Victoria looked around her kitchen in frustration. "I can't now. Things are getting busy, and I already left once. I'm sorry I ran out earlier. I should have stayed; it would be better than this. What about later?"

Diego's mouth tightened a bit. With a mixture of anger and regret, he said, "There's an... experiment that I can't delay this evening." They never mentioned Zorro when there was even a vague possibility someone might overhear.

Victoria felt a chill settle in her stomach. She'd almost forgotten that the _alcalde_ was behaving oddly over the statue of King Ferdinand, even though he was a direct part of what was making her life so difficult, and she was tempted to spike De Soto's next meal with a quantity of hot sauce. It would be better than poisoning him or braining him with a skillet. Though the skillet was tempting. Very tempting. "Be careful then. I know how dangerous some of your _experiments_ can be," she said anxiously. "I'm sorry. Everything's just so frustrating, but I'm sure we can work things out once we can find the time. But please don't let it worry you now. I don't want you distracted at the wrong moment."

He smiled then, a slight smile that was hardly reassuring. "I promise to be careful." He took her hand and raised it to his lips. "Just give me a chance to make things right." His eyes looked pleading.

"Of course," Victoria said. Her anger had completely drained away and been replaced by fear for his safety. She stepped closer to him, reaching with her other hand to touch his cheek.

A noise from outside the kitchen caused them both to jump back.

"Soon, I promise," Diego whispered before leaving the kitchen.

Victoria blinked back tears as she went back to her cooking, hoping Diego would be safe.

~TBC~


	6. A New Lease on Love 2

**Love and War**

**(A New Lease on Love)**

**Part 2**

Diego took the long way back to the _hacienda_, trying to convince himself that everything would be all right. She was worried about him, but that didn't change the fact that she was angry with him. Or that she had good reason to be impatient. Or that the one man he'd been convinced she might marry had just come back and proposed to her. Why had he waited so long?

Her comments about his almost getting married stung. He didn't know how to explain to her what had happened. He couldn't even explain it to himself. He'd been lonely and homesick and sure that if not Juan, someone else would have swept her away before his return. She'd always been the most popular girl in the _pueblo_. Despite her assurances, he still feared that she might be ready to give up on him entirely. After all, Juan didn't have to worry about any one suspecting him of being a masked bandit, and apparently he was confident enough to propose even after an absence of four years.

Shaking his head, Diego told himself that in two days, regardless of what schemes the _alcalde_ had going on, he was going to declare his intentions openly. He just hoped Victoria's patience would last that much longer; if it didn't he would just have to throw himself on her mercy and beg her forgiveness. She was worth fighting for.

Now, however, in keeping with his promise to her, he concentrated on pushing all those worries out of his mind so that he could focus on his quest tonight. Zorro had to ride with a clear head, since this was almost inevitably a trap, and he had no intention of being caught in it. Not now.

~Z~Z~Z~

The afternoon seemed to stretch forever. Victoria wondered what Diego was doing and if he were safe. She wished she'd managed to keep her temper. And she couldn't help but think about Juan and his proposal. It seemed unreal like something from a play.

Apparently, he remembered her reluctance to marry a sailor better than their other disagreements. They'd had quite a few during that last time he'd been in Los Angeles. Nothing as direct as a fight, just each other thinking the other was being unreasonable. He'd never really seemed to have faith in her ability to run the tavern on her own, and despite the fact that she didn't mind spending time with him while he was on leave, she'd realized that she wasn't willing to spend her life waiting for him to come back from the sea and that she'd never really gotten over her crush on Diego.

When she and Juan had last parted, Victoria had thought they'd both realized that it wasn't going to work. She hadn't really been surprised to not hear from him in the intervening time which was why his proposal had been such a complete shock. She had no idea he'd still felt that way, and she still didn't know exactly what she was going to say to him. Thinking about how things had ended with Juan reminded her of the things she loved about Diego. He never seemed to doubt her capabilities or to want her to change who she was. There were times where he may have wished she was less impulsive, but it always seemed to be more about his concern about her safety rather than his hating that aspect of her personality. And she was starting to realize that she loved his patience even though occasionally, like now, it drove her crazy. She still had to wonder how he'd managed to maintain his disguise as Diego for so long. She would have cracked before the first year was out, and yet he hadn't. He had made so many sacrifices to protect the people of Los Angeles. Could she really blame him for being so cautious? Now that she knew who he was, was it really such a sacrifice to be patient?

She wished that Felipe would come to town, since she couldn't go visit the de la Vegas. She wanted some assurance that Zorro was going prepared, and Felipe was the only who could give her that. The only thing she regretted about knowing who Zorro was that she worried all the more about his safety. Somehow it had been easier to believe in his invulnerability when she didn't know the man behind the mask. However, she wouldn't change knowing who he was for any feeling of security.

The sun had gone down when Juan returned to the tavern. He asked her to go for a walk with him, and still unsure of what to say, Victoria agreed. They strolled to the edge of the _pueblo_, near the church. Victoria had been staring blankly ahead trying to get her thoughts together when she heard Juan say:

"Probably just some traveler trying to get home before the moon goes down."

She focused on the direction she'd been looking and realized that it was Zorro riding in the general direction of his cave. He had such a distinctive silhouette. She couldn't stop her smile of relief as this meant that he'd finished whatever he was going to do and was safe. Then she realized that Juan was watching her with a hopeful expression, and she sighed as she knew it was time to give him her answer.

"I've been thinking about your proposal all day," she started hesitatingly. "It was very unexpected."

"I realize that. I know we didn't part on the closest of terms, but I never stopped thinking of you. I'd hoped that now I'll no longer be at sea and since you're not betrothed to anyone..."

Victoria couldn't let him go on. "Juan, please, no, I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't marry you."

Juan looked at her silently for a long moment. "Is there someone else?"

Of course he would ask. "Yes," Victoria said simply.

"Who is it?" he asked.

She knew he'd ask that question too though she'd hoped that he would just accept her refusal and let the rest go. "Does it really matter? I don't know what the future is for us; I just know that I love him too much to even consider marrying anyone else."

Juan was still watching her. "Is it Don Diego?"

Victoria's eyes widened a bit. "What makes you think that?"

"Aside from the look in your eyes when I mentioned his name?" He managed a wry smile. "As much as I hated to admit it, it was always clear that you had some kind of feelings for him. I know I wasn't the only one who was jealous of the attention you paid him when we were young. When I heard you were still single, I had hoped that it meant you might have gotten over him. But you haven't, have you?"

Victoria shook her head. She had thought she'd hid her feelings better than that. At least she'd fooled her brothers and Diego, for what good that did. "You're right. Even when I tried, and I did try, I never quite forgot him, and these last few months, it's just gotten stronger." She could almost laugh at the irony that she had once thought she'd gotten over Diego by falling in love with a man in a mask, who turned out to be Diego after all. It would be funny if it hadn't made her life so complicated.

"Do you think he'll ever marry you?" Juan asked.

Victoria's temper flared a little even though his tone was mild. "It doesn't matter. What matters is I love him and only him." She took a deep breath and continued more gently, "Juan, you're a good man. You deserve to be someone's first choice of husband, not a fallback because she's gotten tired of waiting for the man she really wants. Even if it never works out between Diego and me, I'm never going to be that woman for you." The last came out a bit harsher than she meant it to, but she didn't want to leave him with any false hope. She knew in her heart, that much as she wanted a family, it would be with Diego or no one, and she was willing to wait for him.

Juan sighed. "I understand. I'm very sorry, but I understand. Shall we go back?" He offered her his arm.

Victoria nodded her head and took his arm, relieved that this was over. Now if only she could get the matchmaker to leave her alone, life would be tolerable again.

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego pulled off the mask in the cave, frustrated about how the evening had gone. It _had_ been a trap, and while he'd escaped from the pit, he'd still not gotten a look at the statue. He wasn't sure what it really was, but he wanted to have a better idea before it got to Los Angeles. Suddenly he felt like an idiot; surely the _alcalde_ had some form of paperwork in his office. De Soto seemed to be more of a stickler for it that Ramone, at least the official paperwork, and Diego suspected that this _statue _was considered some sort of official requisition.

He went over to his lab table and took a small bottle of ether. If he was going to do a search of De Soto's office tonight, he wanted to be absolutely sure that the _alcalde_ wasn't going to disturb him. He didn't particularly want to go back out, but he knew he needed the information. He'd just have to hope that no messenger would arrive from the lancers guarding the crates arrived this evening.

It wasn't too long before he was back in Los Angeles and creeping into the _alcalde_'s quarters. De Soto was sleeping heavily, but Zorro added a few drops of ether just to be sure. He slipped into De Soto's office and after being quite sure the doors were locked, started going methodically through his desk. One drawer was locked, but since De Soto had left his keys out, it was the work of a moment to get it open. Pulling the papers out, he started examining them. At the bottom of the pile, he found the item he was looking for, and he was furious to find out that De Soto was expecting a shrapnel cannon. De Soto was willing to endanger the lives of the citizens of Los Angeles just to take down one man. Even Ramone wouldn't have been that reckless with his citizenry.

As soon as he got his temper under control, he managed to realize what kind of underhanded maneuvering De Soto had gone through to acquire the cannon. While this information wouldn't necessarily get him more than a reprimand, Zorro reflected that it wouldn't make De Soto look good and, if it fell into the hands of higher authority, would certainly prevent his managing to replace it. Replacing everything except the papers referring to the cannon exactly where he found them, Zorro slipped out of the _cuartel_ and headed back to the cave, pausing just long enough to glance at the tavern on the way out of town.

As he rode, he ran through possible options in his head, since there was no way he was going to let the _alcalde_ get away with this. However, this would take special planning, since the only good time to deal with the cannon and the ammunition would be while it was moving on the road to Los Angeles. If he waited until it reached town, it would be too well guarded, and there'd be a far greater danger that innocent bystanders could be hurt. He'd also need to send Felipe into town in the morning to see if he could discover anything more specific about De Soto's plans.

He wished he could go himself, but he knew he had too much to do. Also, for once, he didn't think he could manage to see Victoria and act as if everything were fine when he was torn up with worry inside. Even as he was working on his plans, he wondered what, if anything, she'd said to Juan or if she might really be sick of dealing with his secrets and prefer a life without any need for deception.

As he solidified his plans, he desperately wished there was some way to use what he discovered to make De Soto be a just _alcalde_ or failing that find a decent way to get him out of Los Angeles. However, in his current pessimistic state of mind, Diego felt that it wouldn't matter if De Soto left, since the next _alcalde_ would in all probability be just as bad or worse. Too many people were willing to just sit back and let Zorro fight for justice rather than go even a step out of their own way. Diego was beginning to feel like this crusade would never end. Hours later, he couldn't even forget it in his sleep.

~Z~Z~Z~

The next morning was a slightly more peaceful one for Victoria. Doña Maria had apparently either gotten the hint or hadn't found a replacement suitor; either way Victoria was pleased to not see her. Victoria was also glad that Juan made no appearance in the tavern as that would have been awkward.

There hadn't been that much activity from the _cuartel_, until a messenger rode in late in the morning. He was inside for about half an hour before he went riding back out again, and it wasn't all that much later when Mendoza was sent out with a notice to post: another tax, this time for the statue that no one had asked for or wanted and which the _alcalde_ planned to unveil at five o'clock in the evening. Victoria stared at it angrily. De Soto might as well have written, "this is a trap for Zorro" and been done with it. She looked around the plaza, vainly hoping to see Diego riding into town and wondering if she needed to go to him. She had no idea what he'd been doing last night or what he might have planned for today. She did know that he needed to know what De Soto had planned.

It was with relief that she saw Felipe coming into town. He'd be able to give Diego the details of the _alcalde_'s trap, and she could tell him what she'd seen earlier. It was easy enough to get his attention once he'd seen the notice. As if she was just venting her irritation about the _alcalde_'s behavior, she told him about the messenger who'd arrived and left as well as her feelings about the notice. Then, as casually as she could, she asked how Diego's experiments were going.

Felipe signed that he'd been very busy and that he thought he'd finish them up sometime later today or tonight. Then cautiously making sure no one else saw he signed that Diego was worried about her. Equally cautiously, Victoria said that Diego didn't need to worry; she still had faith in the future, and he should too. Felipe smiled. Very quietly she added, "Make sure you're both careful." Felipe nodded. Victoria smiled at him and went back into the tavern, relieved that Diego would know what had been happening. However, it didn't stop her from worrying about them. Nothing did.

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego was in the cave changing into Zorro's gear, when Felipe returned. He'd just finished up his final preparations for dealing with the _alcalde_ and his cannon. Much of the preliminary bits had been done early in the morning once there was enough light to see by. It didn't take Felipe long to let him know what was going on in town and to pass on Victoria's message, which went a long way to calming his worries. Once he was sure of everything, he worked out the last couple of details with Felipe and told him to tell his father, if asked, that he had to ride to the bank in Santa Paula.

Once out of the cave, Zorro headed towards the point where he planned to ambush the wagon. He had considered just sabotaging the cannon and letting the _alcalde_ reap the consequences, but he decided that would be too dangerous. He'd rather make sure that when he destroyed it, there was no one nearby. Besides, he wasn't in the mood to let De Soto even think he was triumphing before pulling the rug out from under him. He planned to make sure this failed in such a spectacular way, that De Soto would never try such a stunt again.

He'd carefully calculated the location of his ambush and the likely time that the wagon would arrive and was there well in advance to be sure everything was still ready. He circled around the area keeping just out of sight of the road. Everything was ready.

When the wagon finally appeared, Zorro waited until it was getting close the right spot before appearing. As he expected half the soldiers started chasing after him. He led them away, and then circled back behind them to set off some smoke bombs before returning to the wagon. With only three men there, it was easy enough to deal with them. Soon they were all unconscious, and he had the wagon. He drove it past the spot where the second set of smoke bombs were ready and set them off. By the time the smoke cleared, he should be almost at the spot for the final disposal, and he already knew that these lancers couldn't track worth anything. The smoke had probably been an unnecessary precaution, but he didn't want to take any chances today. It was too important.

He was right that the lancers couldn't or wouldn't track him. He got the wagon where he wanted it and unhitched and sent off the horses. It didn't take him long to prep the explosion, but he was waiting until at least one of the lancers made it into town before setting off the explosion. That was Felipe's job, as long as he could get to the first charge unobserved. If not Zorro still had a backup plan.

He didn't have that long to wait. He heard a light blast from outside the _pueblo_ and lit the fuse to the charge on the wagon before retiring on Toronado to a safe distance. He watched with satisfaction as it exploded precisely on cue. Toronado shied a little at the sound, but as soon as the debris settled, Zorro started him for the _pueblo_, lighting the fuses of several more light charges on his the way. Riding to the far side of the _pueblo_, Zorro saw a number of lancers riding in the direction of the main explosion. As he hoped De Soto remained behind.

Charging in to town, Zorro disarmed the few remaining lancers, and then swung off Toronado to land in front of De Soto.

"_Buenas tardes, alcalde_," he said, raising his sword to De Soto's throat before he could reach his own sword.. "I'm afraid I just couldn't wait to see the statue of King Ferdinand. Imagine my surprise when I found out what exactly in those crates."

"What have you done with the cannon?" De Soto managed to say between clenched teeth.

"Oh, it and its ammunition have suffered a fatal accident. I'm sure your lancers can tell you all about it later." Quickly sheathing his sword, Zorro grabbed De Soto by the collar pressing him back against the wall of his office. "And don't think I don't know what you did to get that," he whispered.

"I don't know what you're talking about," De Soto choked out, trying to shake loose.

"Check your office, _alcalde_; you might be surprised at what's missing."

De Soto paled.

"If you spent a tenth of the time doing your job as you've spent trying to trap me," Zorro added, "you'd probably be out of here in a year. Dream on that."

De Soto's eyes widened as Zorro knocked him out with a punch, before leaping on Toronado and speeding away. He barely paused long enough to see Felipe and Victoria standing near each other outside of the tavern before racing out of town to make it back to the cave. He almost couldn't believe that his plan had worked, but once Felipe returned safely home from the _pueblo_, he could finally stop worrying about the _alcalde_ and start concentrating on Victoria. He hoped those plans would go as smoothly, since he had no idea what to do if they went badly.

~Z~Z~Z~

The next day seemed to go by too quietly for Victoria, as she had nothing much to do but think about the previous evening's events. Once the _alcalde_ had woken up after his confrontation with Zorro, he'd retreated to his office in a foul mood. Mendoza had removed the notice with a shrug, after the lancers had returned. Victoria had mainly felt relief that the _alcalde_'s scheme whatever it was had failed and that Diego was safe. She wasn't even in the mood to gloat about De Soto's loss, mainly because she knew it was just a matter of time before he came up with something else. She wondered when Diego would be coming back to town; she knew he had to be exhausted by everything he'd done the past couple of days, and she wanted him to get some rest. Much as she wanted to talk to him and let him know that she'd wait as long as necessary, she'd rather know he was getting some much needed rest. She had long since stopped thinking he slept too much; now she wondered if he slept at all.

It was late morning when Juan left on the Monterey coach. He spoke to her briefly before he left. It was very polite and very final, and she felt lighter once the coach left. And after that, everything got too busy for her to even think of visiting Diego. At siesta time, she was tempted to go to see him, but decided against it. After all, she had decided to be patient, and that wasn't patient.

Near the end of siesta, Victoria unlocked the doors to the tavern and went back to the kitchen to get things ready. She was in the pantry, checking her supplies, when she heard a small sound. Stepping back into main room of the tavern, she stopped when she saw Diego standing in front of the bar.

For what seemed like a long time, they stood where they were in silence. Finally, they drifted across the room toward each other. "Victoria...Victoria... I'm sorry," Diego started.

"No, Diego," Victoria interrupted. "I'm sorry. I was..."

"Victoria, please," Diego said gently as he reached down and took her hand. "You have no reason to be sorry. What I have to say can't wait just as you shouldn't have had to all ths time." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. "I thought I was being noble by being cautious, that by playing the friend and not showing my feelings for you, I was keeping you safe, but... I was being selfish by letting things drift along. I _am _sorry. I love you, and I don't want to hide that anymore..."

Victoria looked up into his face. Diego had the most expressive eyes. It's a wonder it had taken her so long to notice them when he wasn't wearing a mask. "I love you, Diego, now and always," she said just above a whisper. Diego wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Victoria rested her head on Diego's chest.

After a long moment, he said, "I have something for you, _querida_."

"For me?" Victoria looked up at him.

Letting go of her, Diego turned and moved her over to a table over which was draped a blue velvet cloth.

"What is it?" she asked curiously.

"It's something I painted for you," he said, an unaccountable nervousness in his voice.

"A painting? For me?" She never expected that.

"Yes. Especially for you," Diego said, as he pulled the cloth aside.

Victoria stepped forward to look at the painting, not sure what to expect. At first glance, it seemed to be simply a picture of the main room of the tavern. However, once she got a good look, she was stunned at what she saw. It wasn't just the tavern. It was a memory. A perfect memory. She didn't know how he'd done it, but it was her family, when they were still together. Her father behind the bar, her mother a tray in hand, her brothers playing out of the way, and she standing on the stairs looking out at them all. Everyone looked so happy. It was so much better than any portraits could have been. Her vision blurred as tears came to her eyes. He'd had to have been working on this for months. Long before she'd gotten frustrated with him.

"Diego, how..." was all she managed to say before her voice choked up.

He stepped behind her and said hesitantly, "A few months ago I found some sketches I'd made when I was young. They weren't very good but they were a start, and I found some better ones my mother had done. And I thought that you might like something... It took a while to figure out what would be the best way... I wasn't sure, but I'd hoped..." His voice trailed off.

"It's perfect," she said, throwing her arms back around him.

"I'm so glad," he said, holding her tightly. "I wasn't sure if it was a good idea. But I wanted to give you something today of all days and not just because of what's been happening."

"Today? Why today?" she asked leaning back to look at him.

Diego smiled. One hand reached up to wipe away a tear that was trailing down her cheek. "I thought it was men who were supposed to be the forgetful ones," he said, letting her go and stepping back to take her hands in his. "Three years ago today, I walked into this tavern and saw you for the first time in four years and lost my heart entirely. You were so beautiful, so kind, so passionate about justice. I knew life would never be the same. I just didn't expect what else happened."

Victoria returned the smile. She had forgotten what day it was. "I don't think anyone really could have. You were so handsome that day, and when you came to my defense, I think I knew, but then..."

"I know. It was my fault. I was so cocky and then so afraid. But I've come to my senses now," he said, then took a deep breath. "So in keeping with my newly acquired sanity, Victoria Escalante, I would like to have your permission to court you openly the way I should have from the beginning."

Victoria was speechless for the moment, but then finally managed to say, "You have my permission, Diego de la Vega."

Diego's eyes lit up, and he raised her hands to his lips and placed a kiss on each one, his eyes never leaving hers. "I can't tell you how happy that makes me, _querida_," he said, before continuing in a more mundane tone. "So to celebrate will you join my father and me for dinner this evening?" Then with a touch of humor he added, "I wouldn't call it a sumptuous _hacienda_, but I am 'aflame with desire' for you."

Victoria laughed; everything was all right again. "And even better, you can speak for yourself."

"Even if it took me a long time to do it," he said self-deprecatingly.

"That doesn't matter now," Victoria replied, letting her love shine out in her expression.

They leaned towards each other until their lips met in a kiss. Diego's hands slipped around her waist, and her arms wrapped around his neck to pull him closer as the kiss deepened. All too soon, Diego pulled away to catch his breath.

"Perhaps I'd better hang that for you," he said after a long silence and a look at the painting.

Victoria cleared her throat. "Yes, I think so," she said, unsteadily.

Diego moved over to pick up the painting. "Will it be all right if I call for you at seven?" he asked.

"That would be perfect," Victoria replied.

~Z~Z~Z~

The tavern was busy. Victoria had made sure that Alicia and Pilar could handle everything before going upstairs to change into her best dress. It was just before seven when she walked downstairs and to her annoyance she saw Doña Maria waiting for her, although this time she didn't seem to have a suitor along with her.

"Ah, Victoria," she said, "I think I might just have the perfect suitor for you, if you're willing to..."

Victoria was bracing herself to tell Doña Maria that she had no need for a suitor, when another voice broke in.

"I don't think that's necessary," Diego said.

Victoria hadn't even seen him come in, but he looked more handsome than ever. Doña Maria stared at him a little disbelievingly.

"Señorita Escalante has agreed to let me court her," he said softly, before turning to Victoria. "You look exceptionally beautiful this evening, señorita." He lifted her hand for a kiss. "Are you ready to leave? My father is waiting for us."

"Yes, Don Diego," she answered, with a rare meekness, taking his arm.

As they exited the tavern, Diego and Victoria glanced back at Doña Maria who was staring at them slack-jawed. Victoria laughed as they went outside, thinking about the look on Doña Maria's face once she realized that Don Diego did indeed have at least a little bit of romance in him after all.

The End

**Next up:** "A Love Remembered." Technically "Turning the Tables" is next in production order, but much as I love this episode, I can't think of anything interesting to do with it, so it too is getting skipped. It will also probably be November before the next story gets written as I'm in the midst of editing a _Zorro / Monster Squad_ crossover that I'm uploading throughout October.

**End notes:** I'm not entirely sure how I'm doing with this series. I know I'm doing a lot of experimenting with formats and with just how much I cover or change in each story. This one is the first episode that ended up being radically altered from the original, and I'm not always sure it works. I know that I just couldn't figure out an interesting way to deal with the _alcalde_'s daft plot, so I apologize for the weakness there. All forms of feedback (reviews, comments, messages, suggestions, questions, follows, favorites) are gratefully received, especially since while I have very definite ideas about how to handle certain episodes, I still haven't figured them all out yet.


	7. After Turning the Tables

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine and just having a little fun with them.

**Summary**: After the Emissary leaves, Diego still needs to cure De Soto, even though he's more interested in spending time with Victoria.

**Author's Notes:** Ok, I lied. Actually, I didn't lie because at the time I couldn't think of anything to do with this episode. However, after spending the entire month of October revising and uploading _The Fox & the Son of the Dragon_, which is grimmer than I usually write, I really needed something light and fluffy as a change of pace, and "A Love Remembered" doesn't really fit the bill. So you have that story to thank for this one because I never would have been tempted without the need for something different.

This is another story that takes a slightly different path. Instead of being set during the episode, this starts immediately after "Turning the Tables" ends. After all, Diego did say that if De Soto came to the _hacienda_ the next day he might be able to think of something to cure his "condition." So the original episode happens pretty much as seen, only Diego and Victoria are publicly courting (not something that makes any change to the plot), and Victoria was slightly more complicit in the plan. All in all this is meant to be a pleasant bit of fluff.

**Curing De Soto**

**(After Turning the Tables)**

Diego and Felipe entered the tavern, still smiling over the sight of the _alcalde_ clumping around in his over-sized clothes. It had been fun, but he hadn't thought of what to do about it afterwards. Diego stopped smiling as he thought about it, since he would need to think of something appropriate, something more than just getting back at De Soto for indulging his bigotry in order to ingratiate himself with someone in power.

It was so frustrating. The Emissary may have changed for the better because of his experience, but he'd left De Soto the worse for it. A better Emissary might have made De Soto more keen on shining as a just leader. But, no, that would have been too much for Los Angeles to hope for, he thought cynically. They'd never get that lucky.

Victoria smiled at him as he approached the bar, and that cheered him slightly, especially now that he was allowed to show his affection (albeit mildly) in public. He took advantage of that fact to kiss her hand for the second time that day, and Victoria's smile grew brighter.

"I was about to get some coffee for your father," she said, glancing at where Alejandro was now sitting. "Would you and Felipe like some as well, Diego? It's such a cold day."

"Made warmer by your smile," he whispered, glad that no one was standing near, enjoying the slight blush on her cheeks but then more loudly said, "That would be wonderful, if you'll come and sit with us."

"That would be my pleasure, señor," she said, with a mock curtsey. "Especially since I want to know what it is the _alcalde_ wanted from you."

"I will be only too glad to tell you," Diego said, "if you let me help you bring the coffee out."

"Done," Victoria replied. "It's always a pleasure to put you to work."

She turned and headed for the kitchen, followed by Diego who waved at Felipe to join his father who simply smiled at them. That was another thing Diego was grateful for. He and his father had been getting along so well. Alejandro was pleased that Diego was finally courting someone and particularly pleased that it was Victoria. But it was more than that. He'd actually gone along with Diego's plan for the Emissary without any more than rational objections. There had been a time when he would have dismissed it as impossible without a second thought. Having his father's confidence had been wonderful, actually.

The tavern's kitchen was empty when they entered, and Victoria turned and looked up at him expectantly. Diego leaned over and kissed her cheek and smiled at her disappointed look.

"Is that all?" she asked.

"Well, we've just started courting," Diego teased. "You wouldn't want me to be too forward, would you?"

Victoria looked at him for a moment before elaborately turning back to start getting things ready. "No, I suppose not. I could just start reminiscing about my old, bolder suitor," she said, lightly. "Not that he was that bold, at least not for anything more than flirting and hand-kissing. No wonder that never lasted."

It had started so gradually that Diego was hard pressed to remember exactly when they'd started teasing each other this way. Perhaps, it was because their courtship had started so unconventionally, it was hard to be proper, even though Alejandro did give them more latitude than more parents would have. But still it was fun to see which one would break first when they were alone.

Knowing she'd won this round, Diego came up close behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and brushed his lips against her cheek before she turned her head further towards him for a kiss on the lips. "And that's the best I can do while we're supposed to be getting coffee," he said, stepping back.

She sighed melodramatically before finishing getting everything together. Diego took the tray and carried it back to the main room of the tavern. He set it down on the table, not too smoothly, and Victoria's head turned to look at him with an undecipherable expression.

"Sorry," he said. "I'll get better with practice."

She smiled at him. "As long as you don't break the dishes, I don't mind." Then she looked at Don Alejandro, as she poured out the coffee. "Diego is starting to get quite handy around the kitchen." She sat next to Diego.

"I'm glad to hear that," Alejandro said. He looked as if he were tempted to add something else, but instead looked at Diego. "What did the _alcalde_ want, Diego?"

Diego was a little hesitant about this. "Um, well, it seems as if someone has told the _alcalde_ he might have contracted Napoleon shrinking disease," he said. "And he wanted to know if I'd heard of it."

"Really," Alejandro said with a smirk. "Do you know who?"

"I can't be sure, but I think it was probably Zorro; he seems to have followed everything that was going on," Diego said, speaking quickly as he hated to lie by implication. "De Soto asked if I'd heard of a cure, and I told him I had but couldn't remember it and said if he came over tomorrow I might find something out."

"With all your work with the Emissary," Alejandro said, "I lost track of what was happening to De Soto."

"I think we all did," Victoria interjected. "The Emissary was the major problem."

"Well, now we need to cure him, so that things can return to normal, frustrating as that may be," Diego said in a low, irritated voice, but then looked at Victoria with a more cheerful expression. "Would you like to come over this afternoon and help me with that? If it will help, I've just received a few new books that you might like to read."

"New books and time with you. What could be nicer?" Victoria said.

Alejandro spoke up. "How about joining us for dinner as well? If you can spare us that much time." He always encouraged Victoria's visits.

"Yes, please do," Diego added, putting his hand over hers.

Smiling at both Diego and Alejandro, Victoria said, "I think I can take an afternoon and evening off. Pilar loves to be in charge."

"Excellent!" Alejandro replied warmly.

Victoria leaned close to Diego and said softly, "For you, I can spare all the time in the world."

~Z~Z~Z~

They'd ridden the carriage into town to see the Emissary off. It had been easier, and it made a good excuse to have Victoria ride back with them. Not that Diego really needed an excuse anymore. When they arrived back home, Miguel came to get Alejandro about some problems with the cattle, and Alejandro had Felipe join them. Diego managed not to roll his eyes at his father's more obvious maneuvering before he and Victoria went inside.

Taking just long enough to tell Maria about the extra guest for dinner, Diego and Victoria went into the library and slipped into the secret passage. Victoria stopped near the bottom of the steps, and Diego turned to face her. They were almost at a level for once, and he had only to lean forward to touch her lips with his. He kissed her lips, then each cheek, and then her forehead before stepping away. Her eyes remained closed for a few moments.

"Better?" he asked, with a smile.

"Definitely," she said, stepping down to the floor. "Now what did you have in mind? I know we can't expect much time here."

"That is unfortunately true," Diego said, moving over to the table. "However, most of my medical and philosophy books are down here, as well as the cactus tea that I think we'll be using for the 'cure.'"

He moved over to a beaker with a strange yellowish green liquid in it. Victoria came closer to get a better look.

"Oh," she said, "that smells terrible."

"And it tastes worse, but it is a good pain reliever, and more importantly for our purposes, induces sleep," Diego said. He brought over a glass bottle and a funnel and poured a quantity of the cactus tea into it. He put in a stopper. "This should make sure he sleeps long enough for whatever else we decide to do to take effect." He handed her the bottle while he went over to his desk and picked up a few books. "Maybe in one of these we can find something we can use to make our cure sound convincing." They headed up the stairs. "I can't believe I didn't think about how to properly resolve this," he said, as they returned to the library.

Victoria put the bottle on a table. "Well, the Emissary was the greater problem and I don't blame you for having a bit of fun with the _alcalde_ at the same time." She sat down on the sofa next to him, and took one of the books.

Diego shook his head. "Sometimes, I think my propensity to have _fun_ with the _alcalde_ gets me into more trouble than if I were sensible."

"Well, if you hadn't done what you did with the Emissary, the Indians would still be facing whipping and worse. _You_ saved them. All of you this time. It was Diego's plan..."

"That Zorro had to intervene in," Diego replied. He wished just once Zorro could stay out of things.

"But it was still you," Victoria insisted. She tended to get frustrated when he dismissed his contributions. She understood why he'd need to do it in public, but she hated it in private. "Now, what clever ploy do you intend to use on De Soto?"

Diego flipped through one of the books. "I'm not certain. Obviously I don't have any books that mention Napoleon shrinking disease. So I think I'm going to have to find it in some old school notes, but it's a question of what he'll need to do for the cure."

"Besides drink cactus tea, of course," Victoria said, looking at the bottle. "I guess you aren't planning to add to the humiliation."

"No," Diego said. No point in antagonizing him further. It would be a miracle if the "cure" worked without letting him know how he'd been fooled. "I would like to think of someway to encourage him to behave though."

"It's a pity we can't tell him that behaving unjustly would make it worse," Victoria said.

"A pity indeed," Diego said slowly. "I think it would take a better man than me to convince him." He stared blankly, then a light came into his eyes. "Brilliant. I think I have it." He grabbed Victoria's face and gave her an enthusiastic kiss. "Wait." He went over to the bookshelves and pulled a book off the shelf, before coming back to the sofa and giving Victoria another kiss on the cheek. He flipped open the book. "This might work, provided he's not too familiar with the works of Descartes."

"Who?" Victoria asked.

"He was a Seventeenth Century French philosopher, which fits nicely for our purposes," Diego said. "Even if he predates Napoleon. But we can get past that easily enough by saying it's a new name. I do hope that De Soto's interest in philosophy really does begin and end with Machiavelli."

"I'm surprised it even reached Machiavelli," Victoria said.

Diego smiled. "Yes, I somehow doubt that he'd be too interested in anything the French had done. Anyway for our purposes and putting it in its simplest terms, Descartes believed in a dualism between mind and body and that the pineal gland is where they interact. So there's a physical connection we can use for our explanation, and considering that De Soto hasn't realized the nonsensical quality of his 'shrinking,' I think we have a very good chance of making him believe the cure."

Victoria kissed Diego's cheek. "That's good. Now that you know, what do you suppose we ought to do while waiting for your father and Felipe to return?"

Diego smiled and lifted one of her hands for a gentle kiss. "I can think of one or two things."

Victoria returned the smile. "I can too. There's the books you promised I could choose from."

"So I did," Diego replied, dropping her hand dramatically. "I suppose we should be good."

Victoria stood up, but moved closer to Diego. "I don't think we have to be _that _good," she said, leaning forward until their lips were mere inches apart.

Diego reached up a hand to caress her cheek. "I agree," he said before drawing her forward into a lingering kiss.

By the time Alejandro and Felipe had returned, Diego was playing the piano, and Victoria was reading a book. Alejandro shook his head at the sight but didn't say anything. Over dinner, Diego explained his plan. Alejandro was a bit skeptical about some points, but since De Soto had fallen so hard for the shriveling, he thought this did sound like the best way to finish it up. After dinner, Diego was able to escort Victoria home. Felipe went with them. His father would only allow them so much freedom. Diego wondered just how long before he could properly propose. He knew that his father would encourage it sooner rather than later, but it had only been a couple of weeks, so still too soon. He kissed Victoria's hand in farewell, before returning home.

~Z~Z~Z~

De Soto arrived early in the day still clumping around in his too large clothes, and Diego worked at being his most convincing.

"Yes, I finally found something in some old lecture notes," he said. "It seems this condition is a rare one that has a tendency to flare up randomly. There is no permanent cure _per se_, but it can easily be treated."

"How?" De Soto asked.

Diego brought out the bottle of cactus tea. "Since this is an initial flare up, it should actually recede fairly quickly if you take this tonight, at bedtime. The whole dose and tomorrow things should be back to normal."

De Soto stared at the bottle. "You're sure?"

"Almost, entirely," Diego said. "My notes were fairly vague."

"You say this isn't a permanent cure? Is there nothing I can do to prevent it returning?" De Soto asked anxiously.

Diego took a breath and prepared to spout his nonsense as convincingly as possible. "Well, according to Descartes, there is a connection between the mental and the physical aspects of this condition."

"What does that mean?"

"Simply, this condition seems to be brought on by too much stress, usually in line with overly ambitious plans. Encounters with Zorro seem to be very stressful for you, so I'd suggest avoiding things likely to encourage his intervention." Diego hoped he sounded sincere enough.

"What nonsense!" De Soto snorted.

Diego shrugged his shoulders. "It's up to you, _alcalde_, but I've heard that this tends to get worse the more it happens, and it takes more and more time to reduce it." He smiled with apparent embarrassment. "Maybe I shouldn't have put it that way."

De Soto glared at him. "I'll give this a try, but I think it's mostly nonsense."

"Well, it's the best I can do," Diego said. "But I think you'll see a change tomorrow."

"I hope so," De Soto replied. He left clutching the bottle in his hand.

Diego had to wonder how De Soto could not notice that it was really only his clothes and his desk that were changing size. He had never yet been able to understand the ability of the human mind to be fooled by the power of suggestion. Someday, he'd need to make a closer study.

The rest of the day he spent working with his father. It was a relief to not be always disappointing him now. He still had to be careful enough that his excuses would still be believable when he needed them to be, but now he could do more to be a help rather than a hindrance.

Once they'd gotten home, Diego went to get cleaned up, before walking into the library. His father was already there, sitting in a chair.

"Going to see Victoria this afternoon?" Alejandro asked.

"If you don't mind," Diego replied.

"Of course not. You _should _spend time with her," Alejandro said, taking a deep breath, pausing slightly before continuing, "Diego, there's something I wanted to ask you about."

"What is it, Father?" Diego asked, sitting down near him, a little nervous at Alejandro's tone. Was it about Zorro's involvement with the plan? Did he suspect?

What he wasn't expecting was what Alejandro said instead. "Your courtship with Victoria..." Alejandro broke off, apparently looking for the right words.

Diego was confused; he knew his father approved of Victoria, so he wasn't sure what he was trying to say. "What about it?"

"She's a very spirited young lady," Alejandro said.

"I know," Diego replied, still confused. "It's one of her best qualities."

Alejandro sighed slightly, finally coming out with his concerns. "Are you sure you're courting her in the best way? She's always seemed to prefer men of action. Books and music, do they really interest her?"

Finally understanding what his father meant, Diego said, "She seems to genuinely enjoy them. Perhaps, she likes the change." He wasn't going to add that there was a little more to their courtship than books and music. As relatively innocent as their kisses were, he didn't really think his father would approve.

Alejandro got an introspective look on his face and a reminiscent smile crossed his face. "I suppose that is possible," he said slowly. "Did I ever tell you about my courtship of your mother?"

"Not really," Diego said. His father rarely talked about his mother, and he was interested. "I'd like to hear about it though."

Leaning back in his seat, Alejandro began speaking. "Well, it actually starts with your grandfather and grandmother. You know your grandfather insisted on making sure I had a classical education. He said he didn't want any son of his to be either an ignorant soldier or _ranchero_, and your grandmother insisted on my learning music so as to appear more refined to any proper young lady. I thought it was pointless, and it didn't seem to matter that much here, but of course, they sent me to Spain to get proper training as a soldier. And I wanted to be a soldier and fight for the king. Love—" he paused, clearly leaving something out, "for various reasons, I wasn't too interested in love at the time. My studies and training were enough, until, of course, I met your mother.

"It was at a ball, and your mother was the most beautiful and popular woman there. All the cadets were vying for her attention, but I was the brash young man who managed to secure it for most the evening. And every free day after that. Many people seemed surprised that she'd want to spend time with someone like me; she was interested in art, in poetry, in music, in books. You inherit that from her. I had never been that interested before I met her, but the way she would talk about all those things, they were suddenly the most fascinating things I'd ever heard, and she seemed to feel that way when I described California. No one would have expected us to fall in love, and yet it was as if we'd found our other half. That's why I always called her Felicidad. I was never more fortunate than when I won her love," Alejandro said, his eyes glistening slightly. "I want that for you too, Diego."

After what his father said, he was determined to be partially honest. He owed him that much. No, he owed him more, but it wasn't safe to give him more than he did. At least he could assure him on this point. "I've been in love with Victoria for a long time. It's only recently that I thought she might be willing to give me a chance." That was most certainly true. He smiled as he thought of Victoria. "What you felt for my mother is what I feel for her. I don't think you need to worry. She doesn't seem to mind my quiet ways."

"I am glad to hear it," Alejandro said, looking relieved. "You know, the weather's gotten warmer. It might be a good idea to take her on a picnic tomorrow, if she's willing. Fresh air would do you both good."

"You have a point," Diego said, while refraining from pointing out he'd spent much of the day in the fresh air. After all, there was nothing that he liked better than spending time with Victoria. "I'll ask her."

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego had a late night ahead of him once he returned from the tavern, since Zorro had to slip into the _alcalde's_ rooms and restore everything to its proper order. He crept in silently and took a close look at De Soto, who was sleeping very soundly. At his bedside was the empty bottle of cactus tea. De Soto should sleep well into the morning, and if he and Victoria were very lucky they should be away on their picnic before De Soto emerged from the _cuartel_. Once Zorro finished putting everything back the way it had been, making a bundle of the oversized clothes, he made a vow not to play any more pranks this elaborate if he didn't have a way out planned in the end. Or at least something that wouldn't require so much work on his part. He was glad to get finished and return home to get some rest.

The morning was bright and warm, a relief after the recent cold. There were no difficulties. When he went to town to pick up Victoria, Diego was relieved to hear that De Soto was still apparently sleeping. He really didn't want to deal with him today. If all went well, De Soto would feel cured, and that would be that.

Felipe went along with them. He wanted a chance to go fishing and disappeared with the second basket that had been packed the moment they reached the spot not too far from the river. There was a shady tree, and Diego spread out a blanket for them.

"Your father's idea?" Victoria asked, sitting down while Diego brought the basket closer.

"I'm afraid so. I think he's a little worried about my ideas of romance, though I hope I reassured him a little," Diego said.

"What did you tell him?" Victoria said.

"Not too much, just that you seemed to like my quiet side," Diego said, taking her hand in his. "Though I do recall you complaining about my tendency to kiss your hand."

He lifted her hand to his lips, turning it over to tenderly kiss the palm, then moved to her wrist before turning it again in order to place kisses on the back as well as between her knuckles, and the tips of her fingers. Victoria's breathing grew shallow, and her eyes closed. He finished by placing one last lingering kiss to her palm before placing it in her lap. Victoria didn't move for a long minute. Then she opened her eyes.

"Well?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I don't think I was complaining about _you_," she said, a little breathlessly. "Though now I have to wonder..." her voice trailed off as she looked past Diego's shoulder. "I don't mean to ruin your day, but I think our _alcalde_ has found us."

Diego turned and repressed a groan as he saw De Soto approaching. Victoria grabbed his hand. At least De Soto didn't look unhappy, but Diego wished he'd stayed in town where he belonged.

"Don Diego!" he exclaimed. "They told me in the tavern you'd be out here."

Diego shot a look at Victoria, who shrugged. Plastering a fake smile on his face, he said, "And what brings you out here in such a hurry, Ignacio."

"The cure, it worked perfectly," he said. "It's amazing. When I woke up, everything was back to normal, and I feel wonderful."

"I'm very pleased for you," Diego said. "I was hoping it would work."

"But what is this nonsense about stress and Zorro?" De Soto asked sitting without invitation.

Diego could see Victoria's irritation out of the corner of his eye and squeezed her hand gently. He put on his blandest face and said, "Well, he does seem to be the largest source of stress to you, one it might be good for you to avoid for a while."

"And just how am I supposed to do that?" De Soto growled. "He's worse than a pestilence."

Diego kept his voice neutral and mild. "I'm not sure, _alcalde_, but he does seem to be a bit of a showoff, eager to play the hero of the _pueblo_. Perhaps, if he didn't have any reason..."

"Are you seriously trying to get me to stop trying to trap..." De Soto broke off and stared into space for a moment before a smile crossed his face and a sinister chuckle came from his lips. "You might just have a point there. If Zorro isn't given the excuse to pretend to be the hero, he's bound to show his true colors."

"I'm afraid I don't quite understand," Diego said.

De Soto let out another snort of laughter. "Of course not, you're a man of..." He stopped in mid-sentence, as if he'd just remembered he was grateful to Diego and shouldn't insult him. Clearly reaching, he continued, "... intellect... not strategy. It's so simple. Zorro loves the limelight. Looking heroic. Receiving adulation. He isn't going to be able to stand doing nothing, so if he can't look like a hero, he'll show himself as the villain he truly is. The people will no longer defend him, and his capture will be assured." He stood up. "It's brilliant in its simplicity." He looked down at Diego and Victoria. "_Gracias_ again, Diego. I'll leave you to your picnic." He strode away, still chuckling.

Victoria looked after De Soto. "What just happened?" she asked, bemused.

"I'm not sure," Diego said, equally bewildered. "I think... De Soto's planning to behave himself in the hopes that Zorro will get bored and commit a crime." He had no idea how that made sense to De Soto. Maybe he was still suffering some after-effects of the tea.

"He'll have a long wait then," Victoria said. She turned to Diego with a flirtatious smile. "And what will you do while Zorro has a vacation?"

He was still looking in the direction De Soto had disappeared. "I don't know, perhaps indulge in my... intellectual pursuits," he said.

"Oh, not more philosophical ones?" Victoria asked.

"Philosophical ones?" Diego raised an eyebrow curiously as he turned towards her.

"Yes," Victoria said, looking into his eyes. "Such as: how can you court a woman with only half your attention on her?"

Diego smiled at her slyly. "Oh, believe me, Señorita, you have my undivided attention," he said, leaning forward to give her a kiss.

The End

**Next Up:** "A Love Remembered." This time no kidding. I just needed something a little lighter before dealing with this one.

**End Notes:** Well, as I said I was going to skip this one since I couldn't think of anything to do with the episode itself, but I did manage to come up with something to follow it. I know the plot's practically nonexistent, but I needed something a little fun. And there was that thread with De Soto and Napoleon's Shrinking disease still dangling, so I picked it up. And since Diego and Victoria are now officially courting, I thought I'd give them an opportunity for a bit of flirting and kissing (I know they should be better supervised than they ever were in the series, but in this case as in many others, I'm going with the more anachronistic version the show gave us). Also, Diego and Alejandro were getting along very well in the actual episode, and I wanted another moment of father/son bonding there.

Their picnic with De Soto interrupting was sort of (very mildly) inspired by the incredibly squick-inducing Victoria/ De Soto picnic from "Love Potion Number 9." I just wanted to reverse Diego and De Soto's roles to get that bad taste out of my mouth, since by the time I reach "Love Potion Number 9" the only thing that story will have in common with the episode is the ten potions of Dr. Henry Wayne. And speaking of those potions, does anyone know what all ten potions are? There are five mentioned in the episode: Love, Passion, Courage, Fear, and Strength. From screen capture, the sixth is clearly Jealousy. That leaves four unknowns, one of which seems to end with "-rgy" (Lethargy? Energy?).

As always, all forms of feedback are sincerely appreciated, and I'd definitely like to know what you think.


	8. A Love Remembered

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine, and still just playing, and if you recognized the dialogue, it's definitely not mine.

**Summary:** Love is sometimes bitter sweet, and memories can be painful as well as pleasant.

**Author's Notes:** I'm sorry it took so long to get to this one. I needed a change of tone first. And I think the stories are starting to get a little more intertwined as the series goes on. This is another slightly odd one, as this story unlike the episode is much more about Diego than Alejandro.

Again I have to thank Ghetto Outlaw for his skills as beta reader. He helps keep me focused. And I'm always grateful for feedback.

**Love's Not Time's Fool**

**(A Love Remembered)**

Diego walked into the tavern, after a busy morning getting out the latest edition of _The Guardian_. It was tiring but satisfying work, something he enjoyed doing as himself. He had to walk lines carefully, but there was much satisfaction in being able to print the truth and do his part for the community without fear of suspicions of his other identity.

Not that he had anything particularly contentious to print this week, as De Soto had done nothing to warrant even careful criticism for the past couple of weeks after his "recovery." Apparently he was actually going through with his plan to bore Zorro into action, though Diego feared that De Soto would be the one to get impatient. But he wouldn't complain about the break. The only notable news was that of some horses being stolen, including one of his father's.

The tavern was busy as usual. Diego was only able to get a moment with Victoria to kiss her hand before she had to rush off to do something else, but he didn't mind. Just being near her was enough for him, especially since he and his father were going to a cattle auction in Santa Paula the next day and he wouldn't be able to see her at all. Also, though he wouldn't say it to anyone, he was glad of an excuse to be in town, because his father had been in a foul mood ever since the horse had been stolen. Much as he loved his father, sometimes his moods could be a bit much to bear. In fact, just to ease his father's temper, he'd been tempted to ride as Zorro to track the thief or thieves, but since no one had been harmed, he thought it would be better not to risk encountering De Soto, whose good behavior he thought was worth a little annoyance at home.

Victoria stopped by his table briefly, bringing him some lemonade. "Such a busy morning," she said, before glancing at the window. "And now the San Diego coach is here."

"Well, that is at least good for your business," he said with an understanding smile. "And if nothing else, I can admire you from a distance." In a lower voice, he added, "It reminds me of the days when I didn't dare say a word to you."

Returning his smile, Victoria said, "Well, look all you like, señor, but now I've got to go see if I've got any guests." She turned and headed for the door, and he did watch her.

He didn't think she realized how beautiful she was, so elegant in motion; it had always been one of his great pleasures to simply watch her. Happily, he'd chosen to sit at a table which gave him an occasional view of her through the window. He was surprised when she suddenly came back inside in a hurry.

"Diego," she said, "your father and De Soto are fighting; it looks ugly."

Not wasting any time, Diego was on his feet and out the door, hoping it wasn't too serious. Unfortunately, what he saw was De Soto pointing a pistol at his father. He started across the plaza at a run, shouting to get his father's attention. "Father, what's going on?"

"Him!" was all his father said, as Diego reached them, knocking down De Soto's pistol as he got between them. Diego was wondering what he'd need to do when his father spoke again.

"Miguel, take the horse to Father Benitez. Tell him I'll be waiting for a court ruling," Alejandro said forcefully.

He started toward De Soto but Diego stopped him. Diego recognized the horse as the one stolen from his father and was now regretting his initial inaction in trying to track the stolen animal. His father was furious, and De Soto's pride was stung, and this had all the makings of a bad situation.

His father did not help things by adding, "I just wonder what Governor Algana will say when he finds out his... famous alcalde from Los Angeles is riding around on stolen property." Diego shot his father a warning look and apparently satisfied with his last pointed remark, he turned away contemptuously, saying, "I'm starving, Diego." He headed toward the tavern at a quick walk.

Diego was relieved that it hadn't escalated and hoped that once his father had lunch, he might be in a calmer mood. He didn't want him antagonizing De Soto unnecessarily. Bad enough that De Soto would be shown to have foolishly bought a stolen horse. If only De Soto would actually show some good sense for once, but no, it was all arrogance and ambition and the desire to get things easily rather than earn them.

So lost in thought was he that he hardly noticed the woman speaking to his father. He'd stopped because Alejandro had stopped. It was only when his father pulled the woman into an enthusiastic hug that he realized that she was more than just an old acquaintance. He coughed in order to remind his father he was standing there.

Alejandro turned and recollecting himself said, "Oh, forgive me. This is my son, Diego. Diego, this is la señorita Mercedes Henche."

"How do you do?" Diego said politely, hoping his father would explain a little more.

He did. Arm still around her, Alejandro said, "Long before I ever met your mother, this lady was the love of my life."

Shocked, the one thought that went through Diego's head was: _So this was why he wasn't too interested in love when he went to Spain._

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego was glad that Victoria had agreed to come to dinner that evening. She had been a bit hesitant, but since Señora Villero was her only overnight guest, she agreed once Diego told her that they could make their excuses after dinner, since they both had early days to look forward to. He was sure that his father wouldn't mind their leaving and suspected that he had already forgotten the cattle auction.

Dinner was enjoyable. Mercedes was very pleasant, and it was interesting to hear her and his father reminiscing about their youth, tales that he hadn't heard or at least quite the versions he was hearing now. Victoria seemed to be enjoying things as well, though at least she spared him by not sharing some of the embarrassing moments from their own youth that his father hadn't known about. She had had a far better idea of some of the things he and her brothers had gotten up to than any one else.

"I must have been around fifteen or seventeen at the time," his father was saying. "I practiced night and day. I wanted to be the best swordsman in the whole world with both hands."

Diego smiled a little as he thought that while he had not equal skill with both, he had come pretty close. Victoria seemed to know what he was thinking, though she tried to keep her expression neutral.

"As I recall, you had other things on your mind that night," Mercedes interrupted with a significant smile.

"Ah, Father, you never told me about that part of your youth," Diego said, recalling more than a few lectures about responsibility and the behavior of a gentleman.

"Well, let's just say I didn't want to spend the best years of my life cooped up with books, Diego," Alejandro said.

"Oh, I don't think that Diego spends his time entirely cooped up with books," Victoria interjected, glancing back at him.

"True," Alejandro said. "Though I had my doubts for a while." He smiled at Victoria. "Perhaps, I ought to thank you for that."

"I don't think so. Diego's always been interested in so many things," Victoria said. "It just took me a while to really appreciate them properly."

Diego smiled at her. "And I'm grateful that you don't seem to mind even the parts that you aren't interested in."

Alejandro shook his head a little indulgently. "I'll get some more coffee. With your permission." He stood and left the room.

Victoria looked over at Diego for a moment, her eyes shifting towards the front door. Diego wished he'd said something before his father had left the table.

Mercedes broke the silence by saying, "You love your father, don't you?"

"Yes," Diego said, while adding in a more light-hearted way, "Although there are times when he does his best to make it difficult." He looked at Victoria. "Are you..."

His father's voice interrupted, but Victoria still nodded. When Alejandro came in, Diego stood up and walked to Victoria's chair.

"Ah, father, if you'll excuse us, Victoria and I thought we'd take a walk in the garden before I take her back to the tavern, since we both have to be up early tomorrow," Diego said. "Oh, before I forget, are you coming with me to Santa Paula tomorrow?"

"Oh, the cattle auction," Alejandro said. As Diego suspected, he'd forgotten it.

"Well, why don't you show Mercedes around her rancho, and I'll take care of the auction myself?" Diego asked, though that was what he'd thought was probable especially after seeing them together during dinner. "And since you don't have to be up so early, I'm sure you won't mind seeing her back to the tavern later," Diego added, figuring that his father wanted to be alone with Mercedes very much as he wanted to be alone with Victoria.

"Thank you," Alejandro said. "Good night, Victoria."

"_Buenas noches_, Don Alejandro, Señora Villero," Victoria said, as she stood up.

Diego offered her his arm as they headed out of the house. They were silent until they were in the garden.

"Thank you for coming tonight," he said, taking her hands and kissing them.

"I'm always glad to," Victoria said. "Especially for such an interesting evening."

"Yes, I don't think I've seen that side of my father before," Diego said.

Victoria looked him in the eye. "Does it bother you? His old love coming back into his life?"

Diego sighed. "I really can't say. I mean I'm glad to see him happy, but..."

"It bothers you a little?" Victoria finished.

"Unfair, I know," Diego said. "Mother's been gone a long time, and he shouldn't have to be alone."

"Would you mind really?" Victoria asked.

"It's one more person in the house to hide from," Diego said, then looked at Victoria. "Would you mind?"

"What?"

"Sharing the house with another woman," Diego said. "As my father's wife, she'd be mistress of the household."

Victoria smiled at him. "Diego, I'm not particularly interested in what position I'd have here except in relation to you." She blushed under the look he gave her but said, "Did you really come out here to talk about your father?"

Diego slipped his arms around her waist. "No, I didn't. I'm going to miss you, _querida_."

He leaned down to give her a kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him closer as the kiss deepened.

"Diego!" Alejandro's voice broke through from a distance.

Reluctantly Diego released Victoria and stepped back. "Why does he always manage to interrupt us out here?" he asked with a wry smile.

"At least you don't have to climb over the wall again," Victoria whispered.

Alejandro appeared before Diego could say another word. "Oh, good, son, you're still here. To save her expense, I've invited Mercedes to stay with us, and I thought since you would be taking Victoria back to the tavern, you could pick up her bags." He looked at Victoria. "I'm sorry to deprive you of your guest, but..."

"Oh, I understand, Don Alejandro," Victoria said. "It will be more convenient for everyone, I think,"

"Good then, though we'll pay for tonight, at least," Alejandro said. "Diego, I've told Felipe to go with you to help."

"All right, Father, we'll take care of it," Diego said. "We were planning to leave in another fifteen minutes, if that's all right with you."

He could see his father was a bit distracted. "That's fine," he said. "I'll tell the servants, so they can get things ready. I'll see you in the morning son." He started to move away before realizing he hadn't spoken to Victoria again. "_Buenas noches_, Victoria."

"_Buenas noches,_ Don Alejandro," Victoria said.

Don Alejandro bowed towards her and then turned back to the house.

"It seems my father is in a hurry," Diego said.

"_Sí_, he is," Victoria replied taking Diego's arm. "And he's left us alone again."

Diego smiled a little. "Yes, for the little time we have." They walked a little way from the house.

Victoria looked up at the clear sky with a reminiscent smile. "I remember how you used to tell me about the stars when we were younger," she said.

"You were always so interested," he said.

"Well, you made the stories of the constellations so fascinating," Victoria said. "The sky became this wonderful canvas of legends. I'd often think about them when you went away." She blushed a little. "Though I will admit that was not the only reason I asked you to tell me about the stars." She glanced at him for a long moment before continuing. "I had the biggest crush on you, and it seemed one of the few ways I could get some time alone with you."

Diego, a small grin tugging at his mouth, reached up to caress her cheek as he leaned towards her ear. "And I thought I was the one taking advantage of the fact that I could spend some time with you," he whispered.

Victoria looked at him in shock. "You never said anything."

"I couldn't," Diego said, blushing slightly himself as he straightened up a little, hand still on her cheek. "You were so young, and I knew I'd soon be going away for four years. And..." he looked a bit rueful, "you had no shortage of suitors. It seemed a little unfair to say anything— then."

Victoria slid her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. Diego wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight. He wondered a little what would have happened if he had said anything. What would have happened if he hadn't let Zorro speak for him when he returned.

Reluctantly, Diego ended the kiss, stepping away. "I'm afraid I need to get you back to the tavern."

Victoria sighed. "I suppose so. We never get enough time together," she said as she took his arm.

Diego couldn't help but agree, though he felt that only once they were married would he feel like they had even remotely enough time together. He was starting to hate the indefinite time line of courtship; he wanted to propose properly soon, especially since he knew his father would want to invite every family member within California and Mexico (Diego knew he'd be lucky if he could convince his father to stop there) and Victoria her brothers. All that would take time, and he'd rather be able to set a date sooner rather than later. Diego had thought he'd be able to judge the right amount of time once his father started hinting strongly, but he hadn't yet. Diego wondered if his father was still uncertain that Victoria would say yes if he asked, and that's why he had done nothing more than encourage their courtship. Now with the return of an old flame into his father's life, he wondered if his father would be too distracted to particularly care. If he was, Diego could use his own judgement.

Diego helped her into the carriage and climbed in beside her, leaving Felipe to drive. Victoria leaned against him quietly, comfortably. He kissed the top of her head, grateful that they could truly be themselves with one another, no more hiding. They'd never really had the opportunity to talk openly before she learned his secret. He'd either been pretending to think of her only as a friend or having to run off to avoid capture, neither exactly conducive for sharing what was in either of their hearts. Even in those first few months after she'd found out, they'd never really had much time together. It had been better, but not as much as when he'd finally been able to start courting her properly. Now they had the chance to really talk, and there was so much to learn. All the small things as well as the great ones.

Victoria looked up at him. "What are you thinking of?" she asked quietly.

He smiled. "You," he said, kissing her forehead, "and how much I'm learning about you now that I never knew."

"I don't think I was all that mysterious. Not like you," she said.

"But you kept your secrets as well," Diego said. "Until tonight I never knew you had another reason for being interested in the stars."

"Well, I didn't know you had another reason for telling me about them, either," Victoria said, lightly. She looked up at him. "So in the interests of honesty, I will say that I'm genuinely enjoying our reading Shakespeare's plays together, above the fact that we're spending time together. It's very nice having you translate the more complicated bits. I don't think I ever could have understood what Dogberry was talking about in _Much Ado About Nothing_."

"Well, I did like reading Benedick to your Beatrice," he said.

They'd recently started reading Shakespeare's plays together, at Victoria's suggestion, though it was Diego who insisted that since they were meant to be performed they should be read aloud. He'd read the male characters, and she the female ones. They tended to use the parts as an excuse to flirt a bit more, but he was glad that she was genuinely enjoying it all. Sometimes he thought he'd been too pushy and didactic about it.

"Well, they seemed to be the only two truly sensible characters, even if they had to be tricked into admitting their feelings," Victoria said. "Claudio was so... hmm... Hero let him off too easily for being fooled into believing the worst. It seems so upside down that Benedick who said he didn't believe in love didn't believe Hero had done what she was accused of, while Claudio the supposed romantic one believed her false on very little evidence." She'd complained at the time that Claudio was an idiot and Hero should have chased him off with a broom. Diego couldn't help but agree.

"Human beings can be strangely contradictory, and Shakespeare captured that better than anyone," Diego said. "But I think we were supposed to think that Claudio was childish, gullible and easily lead. No wonder most people prefer Beatrice and Benedick. I know I did."

"Yes, and we need to start a new play soon," Victoria said. "A different kind."

"Well, if you're in a more bloodthirsty mood, _Macbeth_ might be a good choice."

"_Sí_, I'd like that. I hear Lady Macbeth is particularly wicked," Victoria said gleefully.

"I'm sure you can bring out all of her cunning and her madness," Diego said. "You've a real talent for acting."

"Not quite at your level," Victoria said, "but I'm learning."

They were almost in town, and Diego tried not to sigh. He leaned down and kissed her. "I love you," he said, softly.

"I love you, Diego," she said. "When will you be back?"

"Tomorrow evening, if I'm lucky," he replied. "I probably won't be able to come into town until the day after."

"I will miss you, but things should be relatively busy, provided the _alcalde_ doesn't do anything particularly obnoxious."

"Hmm, then that's definitely in doubt," Diego said. "If only he hadn't been stupid over that horse."

"He was bound to be stupid over something," Victoria said. "But don't worry. We should be fine."

"I can't help worrying," Diego said, as they came to a stop at the front of the tavern and he helped her out of the carriage. "But I will hope for the best."

~Z~Z~Z~

The tavern wasn't too busy, but there were a few patrons still lingering, so Diego remained very politely outside Señora Villero's room while Victoria packed the few items the señora had taken from her bags. Once they were ready, Diego and Felipe carried them downstairs to the carriage. Diego went back inside to pay for Señora Villero's room, and Victoria walked back outside with him, where he kissed her hand before taking leave. He looked forward to a time when he would not have to leave her with a simple kiss on the hand or at all really. He'd been fighting a melancholy state of mind all evening and now that he'd said good night to Victoria it returned with a vengeance. He was silent all the way home and dismissed Felipe's signed question about his mood saying he was tired.

Once they were home, he left it to the servants to see to Señora Villero's things. He really didn't want to run into his father again, and he was sure that in his nostalgic mood, his father wouldn't want to see his grown-up son. He slipped around the side of the _hacienda_ to get into his room. Changing for bed, he reflected that it seemed likely that his father would be re-married before he was married at all.

He blew out the candle and climbed into bed, not interested in reading. His father's reunion with Mercedes had turned his own thoughts to the past, still wondering what would have happened if he'd said anything to Victoria before leaving for Spain. It still would have been unfair, but it would have meant he'd have avoided the mistake of getting involved with Zafira.

Unlike his father with Mercedes, he couldn't say Zafira was ever really the love of his life. Not even at the height of his infatuation did he really think that. He'd met her at a point when he was feeling lonely, frustrated, and homesick, and the thought of returning home single to see a married Victoria held no appeal to him. She was lovely and sympathetic, and though he'd tried to pretend it wasn't the case, she'd reminded him a bit of Victoria.

He should have known it was a mistake. His aunt Magdalena, a wonderful woman who had acted very much like a mother to him while he'd been in Spain, had warned him to take things slowly, not to mistake infatuation for love. Sir Edmund had been blunter and said when a man had spent so much time in his studies and was so determined to be a gentleman that it was easy to mistake lust for something more. Diego hadn't really listened to either of them; he thought it was love. He wanted to marry, and he didn't want to wait for his father to start trying to arrange a marriage for him.

He'd actually been a bit surprised that Zafira wanted to get married so quickly. He'd expected her parents to want her to wait longer, but he shoved back his doubts the way he'd shoved away advice. Even the priest at the church thought he should be more patient, but he was determined. It didn't matter that it was sudden or that he hadn't told his aunt and uncle or Sir Edmund or apparently she her parents. It was a sign of their devotion, their determination. Or so it seemed until time kept passing, and she never appeared.

It was strange that in wondering what had delayed her, he'd never really considered an accident or illness, just that she'd regretted her sudden acceptance or that her father had stepped in. He could barely make himself go to her home, so positive was he that she'd changed her mind, but he had gone, and it seemed confirmed when the servant told him that Zafira and her parents had left suddenly that afternoon not saying where they were going. Pained and miserable, he'd wandered around Madrid for a while, unwilling to go back to his quarters, as he wasn't up to facing any of his fellow students whose ideas of dealing with broken hearts held no appeal for him.

Eventually, he'd gone to his uncle Cecilio's house, happy to find his aunt and uncle both at home with no plans or visitors, unusual on a Friday evening but most fortunate for him as he was starting to feel a little desperate. One look at him and both insisted he stay the night. His uncle had sat quietly at his desk looking over papers while Diego had talked to his aunt, who he only told that Zafira was gone without mentioning the aborted wedding; he felt like he'd failed them by agreeing to an elopement. Aunt Magdalena had been sympathetic, though he got the impression she knew that there was more to the story than he told her, but she never pried or said, "I told you so." She had such a gentle way about her that it was no wonder that half his uncle's students worshiped at her feet.

Once Diego talked himself out, Uncle Cecilio put away his papers and contrived to distract him with chess and some of his latest scientific studies until late. It was an odd sort of comfort his uncle offered, but it was exactly the kind Diego really wanted at that moment, something completely unrelated to matters of the heart that would allow him to forget about Zafira as much as possible without giving him a hangover or even more regrets.

He had been very grateful to both his aunt and uncle that night. He certainly envied the love he saw between them; it was something he hoped to find himself. Something he wasn't certain he'd lost. If nothing else, they'd made it possible for him to act as if nothing was wrong when he returned to his rooms the next day.

It hadn't been that much longer before he'd been summoned home to California, and he'd gone with a mixed feeling of trepidation and relief. He'd been surprised at how little he thought of Zafira on the voyage back, more concerned about his father's reasons for wanting him to come home as well as wondering if Victoria was indeed still single since his father hadn't said anything else about an actual engagement or marriage in the last letter, where among the small bits of information, he'd been praising Victoria's success with the tavern despite the difficulties.

Diego stared up at the ceiling of his room. He needed his sleep, but he couldn't stop the memories. Had it only been a little more than a year since he'd seen Zafira again? That meeting really had reinforced the fact that it hadn't been her loss that pained him nearly as much as the not knowing why. When they'd met again, he'd told her all the things he meant to say, ask what he meant to ask, but there had been no real force behind his words. All he really wanted to know was what happened.

When Zafira had regretfully commented on the tricks fate played, he'd felt too ashamed to say that he was grateful for that particular trick of fate or that he sometimes shuddered at the thought of returning to Los Angeles either as an engaged or, even worse, married man. He hoped it wasn't true that she still loved him.

It didn't feel true, not with Zafira's _husband_ insisting on it or the way she'd agreed with him. Diego hoped not, but maybe it was just his conscience trying to get past his feelings of guilt. The guilt when he told Zafira that he was not the man she knew, and there was someone else in his life. A partial truth, as at the time Victoria only seemed interested in his other identity, but still his love for Victoria was so strong that his former feelings for Zafira seemed shallow and weak by comparison. That's the truth he wouldn't tell her.

Strangely, the strongest pains during this brief reunion had come from Victoria. Her apparent surprise at his having a past had stung. At the time he thought it was disbelief at the possibility of him being capable of having one, and it bothered him to think that she thought him so innocuous that he wouldn't even have been faced with temptation. It was only during their fight when Juan Ortiz had come back into town that he'd realized that he'd misunderstood. It hadn't been disbelief but disappointment. It had been the same over her questions about the mystery woman in his life. He'd thought she was trying to be a helpful friend, not suffering jealous pangs as he did over his own alter ego.

He wondered what would have happened if he'd never flirted with her as Zorro. That stupid, cocky statement about giving her an opportunity to show her appreciation. He had been unbearably arrogant in the beginning, but he'd thought it would only last a short time then. Now he knew better. _Now_ he was grateful that Victoria had figured things out on her own and found a way out of the trap they'd both been caught in. He still didn't know when Zorro's time would end, but at least, they were no longer putting their own lives on hold waiting for that time.

Would things have been different if only Diego had flirted with her? Tried to court her? He couldn't be sure. He'd been struggling so much in those early days with defining both his masks, Diego's and Zorro's. He knew he had often gone too far in either one with some of his excuses as Diego, some of his behavior as Zorro. Maybe it would have been too difficult to build the masks and try to court Victoria as himself at the same time. But still...

He shook his head to try to clear it. If he didn't get some sleep soon, he'd be in no condition for the auction tomorrow. He had no intention of letting his father down. Resolutely, he closed his eyes and hoped that sleep would come.

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego had gotten a slightly later start that morning than he had hoped for, but he still was gone before his father was up, which was unusual. But then Diego expected that he had been up quite late talking with Mercedes. They had been apart for many years after all.

The weather was pleasant enough, and Diego didn't have to be in all that much of a hurry for the auction. It wasn't that important, but they were looking for a new bull. There was a small part of him that wanted to find an excuse to skip it, but he told himself that it was unlikely that De Soto would try to do anything to his father since a messenger had already been sent to the territorial judge.

He wondered how things might change if his father did marry his old love. From a house of all men, there would soon be two women added to the mix. A lot would be different.

Of course, Diego also wondered how things would be if his mother were still alive. Would he ever have been able to fool his mother the way he had his father? Somehow he doubted it. Not the woman who always seemed to know when he'd gotten up to something he shouldn't and who had taught him how to look at the world with an artist's eye. He doubted she would have been fooled by the mask for a moment. He did hope she would have approved. She'd always valued cleverness over shows of strength. Also, while she was never slow to speak her mind, she knew how to be diplomatic, and she'd taught him how to rein in his temper and think before he acted. If nothing else, he knew he never would have been able to hide how he felt about Victoria from her. He still missed her but not enough to resent the thought of his father marrying again.

He had been riding for quite some time when he noticed a horse cutting cross country heading directly for him at a run. He was shocked to recognize Felipe and turned his horse in the direction he was coming from in order to meet him.

Once Felipe had stopped, it had taken a few minutes to understand what he was saying. Diego was shocked to discover that Mercedes husband was not dead, and while in jail the _alcalde_ had been doing everything to excite his anger and jealousy at his father.

"Does my father know about any of this?"

Felipe shook his head and signed that he hadn't been at home. Everything else forgotten, Diego started racing back to the _hacienda_, hoping that he would be in time to stop whatever the _alcalde_ had set in motion.

~Z~Z~Z~

It was early evening by the time Diego made it back to the cave, leaving Esperanza loose outside. He knew Felipe was following close behind and would take care of both horses. Racing inside, he managed to change into Zorro's clothes faster than he ever had before, unable to fight the sense of urgency.

He hurried to the peephole, in time to see Mercedes throwing herself in front of his father, yelling something that sounded like "Antonio," but before he could act, he heard a shot. Horrified, Zorro watched her fall into his father's arms and moved to the fireplace, hoping that at this time no one would notice him emerging from the secret exit.

No one did. His father was too focused on Mercedes to notice anything else, and the man who shot her, who Zorro could only assume was her husband, only saw them. Zorro crept forward quietly, as Villero, who'd stared in shock at what he'd done, got agitated and started yelling at Alejandro, "This is your fault!" He pulled a sword from a scabbard, and Alejandro barely reacted.

That's when Zorro stepped in front of Villero, blocking his path to his father. He could almost feel his father's pain from where he stood.

"I have no quarrel with you," Villero said.

Anger rushing through him, Zorro said, "Unfortunately, señor, I have one with you."

They fought. Zorro tried to control the rage as he put everything together. "Consider this in your long years in jail, Antonio!" He continued fighting fiercely before slashing a _Z_ into the man's vest. "Your wife deserved your trust and you repaid her with your suspicions and your brutality." He knew his father would have done nothing dishonorable, certainly nothing the _alcalde_ had suggested, and considering what Felipe had told him about why Villero had been thrown into jail, he believed Mercedes had every reason to want to flee from him. In a final burst of anger, he knocked Villero out with a punch.

His anger gone, he turned to look where his father still sat holding Mercedes. Zorro wondered if he'd even noticed the fight at all. He wished he could comfort his father as a son, but that would have to wait. Because of his damned disguise, Diego could only behave as an acquaintance, practically a stranger, but he wouldn't leave his father without a word.

"I share your grief. More than you can ever know, señor," he said, wishing he could say more. He'd wanted his father to be happy, and he knew that they would have been, if things had been different. He pushed away the question of how it could have worked out with her not really being a widow; it no longer mattered. His father's loss was more important.

His father seemed to barely have heard him when he spoke. "Oh, Zorro, I've lost her once again. Only this time forever."

Knowing he couldn't stay longer, not if he wanted to contrive to come back as Diego this evening, Zorro stood. He grabbed Villero from the floor, tying him to a chair so that he couldn't cause more trouble. The man was still unconscious, and his father hadn't moved from the floor, so Zorro slipped back into the cave as quietly as he emerged.

He changed back into his clothes, slowly this time. He no longer needed to hurry. Diego wouldn't be able to show up again for at least half an hour. It would probably take him that long to compose himself to pretend to be ignorant of the tragedy. He walked back outside, where as he expected he found Felipe with the horses. He told him what had happened and told him to get back to the house as soon as possible. No one needed to know that he'd ridden for Diego, and Diego wanted someone with his father now.

~Z~Z~Z~

It was the afternoon after the funeral. Mercedes had been buried, and Padre Benites had returned to the church. Alejandro had insisted on having her buried on her family land. It was where she belonged, he'd insisted and he was donating her land to the people of Los Angeles, a truly generous gift, but Diego suspected there was more to it than he'd said. A tribute to the woman he'd lost twice.

Victoria had, of course, come to show her support for the family. She and Diego hadn't really had a chance to talk since Mercedes died. Felipe had been the one to tell her what had happened at the _hacienda_. Diego had been more focused on his father and brooding over what to do about De Soto.

He knew that De Soto had filled Villero's head with lies and aimed him at his father like a loaded gun, even if he couldn't prove it. Diego had seen De Soto briefly; he'd still been at the _hacienda_ when Diego had returned. He'd seemed chastened and a bit guilt-ridden. But what had De Soto expected? Usually, De Soto's schemes ended up hurting only himself. This time De Soto's pride had cost an innocent woman her life. Would he really not have been bothered if it been Alejandro who had died?

Diego felt his own sharp pangs of guilt as he had known De Soto might try something, he just hadn't expected anything like this. If he had only stayed behind, he could have been there to stop things before they started. Only his father's immediate grief had prevented Zorro from paying a visit to the _alcalde_ that he may or may not have regretted. He still wasn't sure what he should do. He knew that vengeance was a hollow thing, but he was tempted, so very tempted to exact it.

His father and Victoria put their flowers on the grave. Diego had always been glad to see the genuine affection between the two of them. He watched them walk together while he stayed back with Felipe. He realized he'd forgotten to thank him for the timely warning. He'd come too close to losing his father.

As they walked, Diego was surprised to see Mendoza riding toward them leading his father's horse.

"_Buenos dias_," Mendoza said in response to Don Alejandro's greeting. "The _alcalde _asked me to bring back your horse. He says it's yours. He doesn't want the five hundred pesos."

"Really? That's remarkable. I suppose he didn't want to explain himself to the governor, right?" Alejandro said, sarcastically, clearly wondering at the _alcalde's_ change of heart.

Mendoza didn't seem to have any idea himself. "Well, I don't know, Don Alejandro. I think he felt a little guilty."

Diego moved forward to take charge of Pilla from Mendoza. At that moment, he knew exactly why De Soto had returned the horse even if no one else did. He felt too guilty about what he had done to want to have anything more to do with what had prompted his evil scheme. Diego was too lost in thought to pay attention to what was being said before Mendoza started off. He hadn't even noticed that Victoria was on the other side of Pilla.

His father snorted indignantly. "Typical of De Soto, Diego. Heaven forbid he'd come to me face to face and admit that he is wrong."

Diego agreed, but then this was a sign that De Soto had some spark of conscience. Maybe it would be a mistake for Zorro to approach him. "This was a big step for our _alcalde_, Father."

Victoria looked at Diego as if she could read his thoughts as she said, "Well, perhaps the _alcalde_ is human after all."

"All any of us poor humans can do is try to forgive and forget," Diego said, referring specifically to the entire quarrel over the horse, knowing that he could never tell his father what De Soto had done. His father could never forgive that, and the fallout would be devastating.

Diego handed the rope over to Felipe who started leading Pilla towards the wagon. His father followed, still shaking his head over De Soto's inexplicable behavior. Hanging back, lost in thought, Diego was almost surprised when Victoria took his hand.

He looked down at her. "Thank you for being here for him," he said softly.

"He's been like a father to me," she replied, looking deep into his eyes, "but I'm here for you too. It's not your fault, Diego."

She really was starting to know him too well. "I should have been there," he whispered.

"You can't be everywhere," she said. "You can't anticipate everything. No one could have anticipated this."

He shook his head. "No, but that doesn't make it any easier."

"Then take your own advice and forgive yourself," Victoria said. "You've always done the best you can, and your best has always been beyond what anyone could expect. You really are the most wonderful man I've ever known. But the best thing about you is how you care about everyone and how you help everyone. That's something you've never been able to hide behind a mask. In the days before I knew, what often frustrated me was not understanding how you could care so much and yet at times of crisis apparently do so little."

Diego smiled weakly and looked over at his father. "I just wish I could help him now."

Victoria wrapped both of her hands about his. "You can help him."

"How?"

"Don Alejandro loves you very much and what he wants more than anything is for you to find happiness in your own life."

Diego lifted Victoria's hand to his lips. "I already have."

The End

**Next Up:** "Mendoza the Malevolent" which will hopefully be cheerier than this story.

Considering the time of year, I might as well say I'm going to skip "Miracle of the Pueblo" entirely. Not because I don't think there's anything different to be done, but because I have a low tolerance for most TV series' Christmas episodes and unfortunately _Zorro_ is no exception. While "Miracle of the Pueblo" doesn't tend to send me off on angry rants like when I think about what they did with Victoria in "It's a Wonderful Zorro," I have a hard time swallowing the Santa Claus plot. So no Christmas episodes in this AU. Believe me, everyone will be happier if I bypass this writing about this holiday, while I sit and watch _A Muppet Christmas Carol_, _The Grinch Who Stole Christmas_ (the only one that I actually admit exists— the only Grinch is Boris Karloff), _A Charlie Brown Christmas_, and _Miracle on 34__th__ Street_ instead while working on other stories. I'd rather read the stories of people who actually like writing Christmas stories, as I have a terrible feeling any Christmas story I'd write would become ridiculously grim.

**End Notes:** This is definitely not my usual kind of story. I suppose it's a blessing and a curse of this particularly AU that it forces me to tackle stories that aren't quite what I'd normally write.

I didn't want to just follow the episode, but there wasn't that much I saw changing other than Victoria's presence at dinner, so I thought that since Alejandro was waxing nostalgic, it might prompt a bit of trip down memory lane for Diego, with some of his memories being not quite so cheery.

Also, in this particular series, his Aunt Magdalena, who is married to Diego's mother's brother, is the Magdalena with the most beautiful blue eyes mentioned in "Sanctuary." I know that if she ever rates even a passing mention in fanfiction it is usually as some kind of past romantic interest, but I'm contrary-minded and thought that since he was mentioning her to a kind-hearted married woman who was helping him when in trouble that the other Magdalena should be as well. I liked the parallelism. I also liked the idea of his having a rather scholarly uncle as well. I left out a lot of the back story I developed here, since I didn't want to get too bogged down, but it might come up in another story down the road.

And of course, I never really liked Zafira in "The Old Flame," and despite his words to her, Diego never seemed that particularly heart-broken, wounded perhaps, but he seemed to recover very rapidly, so that kind of influenced my version of their relationship.

I did have a hard time with Zorro's line: "Your wife deserved your trust and you repaid her with your suspicions and your brutality." I mean, how could he know, since the last Diego had heard Mercedes was claiming her husband was dead, and she'd only told his father how miserable she'd been. I very much doubt that Diego would have wanted to eavesdrop on any of their conversations, or that his father would casually mention it over breakfast. But I left it in any way, figuring that Diego would have thought the best of Mercedes and the description of Villero's behavior in town and his reaction to the _alcalde's_ goading would have given Diego his reasons for coming up with the rest.

And again, this series is unusual for me, and I really welcome and am grateful for all forms of feedback.


	9. After Mendoza the Malevolent

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine.

**Summary:** The language of flowers and father-son disagreements.

**Author's Notes:** Sorry everyone for the time gap in stories. I got kind of burnt out for a time, and then ill and then the holidays came. So I needed to take a breather, as well as do some work on a sequel to a crossover in another couple of fandoms. Besides everything was coming out darker than I wanted it to. I actually spent more time working on the next story ("Wicked Wicked Zorro") because this one just wouldn't come together. Despite it all, this is definitely lighter than the last story and is also almost entirely plotless fluff.

**Rosemary for Remembrance**

**(After Mendoza the Malevolent)**

Shortly before siesta, Diego walked into the tavern carrying a basket on the top of which was a bouquet of flowers, carefully chosen from both the wild and the de la Vega garden. There were only a few patrons left, including Sergeant Mendoza. Diego gave him a wave before heading over to the bar, where Victoria smiled at him. She'd missed him these past two days. He hadn't been to town since the evening after Zorro had foiled the bandits who'd been responsible for Mendoza's apparent death and amnesia. They'd had dinner together; Victoria had let her girls handle the customers, and do much of the cooking except for Mendoza's tamales and her and Diego's dinner. Even if they'd had to have an audience of sorts, it had been a pleasant evening.

"_Buenas tardes_, Victoria," he said, putting the basket on the bar before taking her hand for a kiss. He lifted the flowers from the top of the basket and handed them to her.

"_Gracias_, Diego," Victoria said. "They're beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as the lady before me," Diego said softly.

"Ah, you are in a charming mood today," Victoria said, then smiled at him teasingly. "It almost makes up for your being absent from town the last two days."

"Forgive me," Diego said. "I'm afraid I lost track of time over my studies."

"What this time?" Victoria asked.

"A few of the wonders of nature," Diego said.

"I know I can't compete with the wonders of nature," Victoria said in a teasing tone of voice.

"Victoria, you know I think you are the most beautiful wonder of nature," Diego said. "But..."

"You couldn't help but get absorbed in your subject," Victoria finished for him. "I did miss you."

"And I you," he whispered, then spoke up louder. "Actually, I brought more than the flowers for you, but Father insisted that I should give you something a bit more frivolous first to make up for my delinquency." He smiled at her, the one that made her melt a little every time she saw it. "I thought you could use some fresh herbs."

She looked into the basket. "Beautiful yet practical. You know me very well, Diego."

Diego leaned forward to whisper again. "Not as well as I hope to."

Victoria flushed slightly, but before she could respond, Don Alejandro's voice broke in. "Diego, I hope you're not telling her you like her practicality."

Victoria saw Diego set his jaw, and he couldn't quite hide the annoyance in his eyes as he turned around to see that his father had entered the tavern without either of them being aware of it. She busied herself putting the flowers into a vase she had sitting under the bar, hoping she wouldn't need to provide a distraction.

"No, Father, I wasn't, but it is an admirable quality," Diego said.

"But not the best one for the woman you haven't seen in two days because you've been too busy studying _blackberries_," Alejandro said in an irritated undertone though the last word carried across to Mendoza.

"Blackberries? Not you, too, Don Diego. The _alcalde's_ still upset about Sepulveda eating them. He has him mucking out the stables for the next three weeks, and he has to eat in the garrison for that long too."

"A truly terrible punishment," Diego said with a slight smile. "But I must admit that I had a certain curiosity about our _alcalde_'s obsessive love of them, and I didn't think I should ask him."

"Because then you would have most likely have discovered he's just a glutton who doesn't want to share now that blackberry season is almost at an end. Sometimes, son, you think too much," Alejandro said in a jocular tone that didn't really disguise genuine irritation.

"I'd rather think too much than..." Diego started to say before biting off his words.

Victoria wondered what was going on between them. Alejandro looked at Diego for a moment and then glancing at Victoria, seemed to recall his manners and turned to Mendoza.

"Ah, Sergeant, how are you doing? Headache gone now?"

"_Gracias_, Don Alejandro," Mendoza said. "I'm all better. I just wish I could remember what happened. It all seems so unbelievable."

"Well, perhaps it's better not to try," Alejandro said. "I think this is probably one of those cases when ignorance is definitely bliss."

"_Si_, I think you're right, Don Alejandro," Mendoza said, looking around. "On second thought, I don't think I want to know. It would probably be nothing but unpleasant. I think I'll just be happy that it's not me who's in the _alcalde_'s bad books right now."

"Good idea," Don Alejandro said with a laugh.

Wanting a moment alone with Diego, Victoria spoke to him. "Diego, would you carry the basket into the kitchen for me?"

"Certainly," Diego said picking it up.

Victoria followed him into the kitchen and watched him put the basket on the counter before turning back to her. Looking at the curtain, Diego swiftly stepped forward to place a light kiss on her lips.

Victoria hugged him just as briefly before asking the question that had been on her mind. "What is going on with you and your father? Is it just about your studies?" As she finished speaking she signed a small _Z_ in front of her.

Diego sighed. "Not entirely. I think he still blames me a little for not coming back to the tavern with you and preventing Mendoza from robbing you, and I'm not sure he thinks I reacted properly. But strangely, he hasn't actually said anything directly which worries me a little. It's not like him to hint around rather than coming right out and saying what's on his mind."

"I'm sorry, I hadn't thought he'd still be dwelling on it. I don't know how he can blame you. I insisted, and I think you behaved exactly as you should." A thought struck her. "He isn't wondering about where we went, is he? I mean, he wouldn't think..." Victoria looked a bit embarrassed.

Diego smiled a little sadly. "No, he never bothered to ask, and I have my doubts that he believes I could behave improperly at all, or he wouldn't trust us alone as much as he does." He looked at her and smiled more genuinely at her look of disbelief. "Oh, _querida_, you seemed to think I was harmless for a long time."

Victoria lifted a hand to caress his cheek. "No, Diego, I never thought you were _harmless_. I thought you weren't interested in me; there's a difference."

Diego took her hand and kissed the palm. "True, that is a difference. I don't think my father's noticed, however." He leaned down for a kiss, before straightening up and taking a deep breath. "Don't worry. Sometimes my father and I simply don't agree on how a de la Vega should behave, and even without some of my more esoteric studies," he signed a Z of his own, "there are bound to be times like this when we seem to irritate each other for no specific reason at all." He sighed and looked at the basket on the counter. "Though I admit I didn't help by immediately starting researching blackberries right after my previous abstraction. But I certainly think that it was important, even if I didn't learn anything concrete. After all, De Soto was behaving oddly even for him. For an ambitious man to ignore the apparent death of his sergeant in order to catch a blackberry thief... I had to wonder if there was something more to it."

"And did you find the answer you were looking for?"

Diego shook his head. "No, I didn't. If there's something odd about the blackberries, it seems peculiar to De Soto, and there's not much I can do about it. However, as I was looking through the library, I did find something interesting." He pulled a slender book from inside his jacket and handed it to her.

Victoria looked at the title, _The Language of the Flowering World_. "What is this about?"

"It's about the historical/mythological symbolism of plants. There was an interesting bit on blackberries being symbols of remorse."

"Our _alcalde_ has a lot to be remorseful for."

"True, but I hardly think that explains his behavior. However, I found many of the meanings fascinating." He leaned close to her ear. "In fact, there is a message for you in both the flowers and the basket, if you take the time to read it."

Victoria grinned. "That sounds like fun. Although," she looked in the basket, "I know that rosemary is for remembrance." _And weddings_, she thought though she didn't say that aloud as she wasn't sure that's what he wanted her to take from it. "And I notice that there are no blackberries."

"I'd hardly want to give De Soto a reason to confiscate them," Diego said.

"And he would, too," Victoria said, "even if he's been acting normal again."

"Normal is such a relative term for our _alcalde_," Diego said.

"I wish 'good-natured' was a word for our _alcalde_," Victoria said.

"We both do," he replied. He kissed her hand again. "I suppose we should return to the main room. I'm not entirely sure if I want my father to start wondering how harmless I am."

"Or how I behave as well?" Victoria teased him.

"_Querida_, you are always perfect," Diego said, though he leaned close when he added, "and perfectly tempting."

"Hmm, you're not the only one who suffers from temptation," she whispered back, kissing his cheek as she finished speaking. Then before he could respond she slipped out of the kitchen ahead of him.

Diego and his father didn't stay too long afterwards, but Victoria was relieved to see that the brief separation was enough to get them both in better moods. Diego was the last one out before she locked the tavern doors, and she managed to get one last kiss from him before he left, brief but more satisfactory. He really was the most handsome man she'd ever seen. Even back when she'd thought they were separate people, she had on occasion wondered if Zorro could be as handsome beneath his mask, before in embarrassment trying to pretend that thought hadn't crossed her mind.

She wondered if he'd even noticed the number of young women who'd noticed his good looks even if he'd gotten the reputation for being hopeless when it came to matters of the heart. She certainly had, and she could name every señorita Don Alejandro had tried to get Diego to show an interest in, though she'd lied to herself about being concerned with Diego not settling for the wrong woman. Well, technically that hadn't been a lie, as deep down, the only woman she thought right for Diego was her. And that particularly jealousy was separate from all the women who'd practically swooned over Zorro as much as she had. She still blushed at the memory of her fight with Diego's cousin's fiancée.

Shaking her head at her own former foolishness, Victoria found a sheet of paper and wrote down the names of the flowers and herbs Diego had brought her, before sitting down at a table with the book he had left. He'd left a folded message in the front of the book apologizing for the limitations of the time of year, that spring would have allowed him to express himself more fully.

Even with those limitations, she couldn't help but feel the warmth of his message as she learned the meanings behind what he had given her. Some she had already known about; some were new. Remembrance, love, passion, cheerfulness and grace, beauty, sensuality, esteem, delicacy, and unity. She smiled as she considered all the message. No one really seemed to see the romantic in Diego, or even notice how truly passionate his nature was. She saw it in the way he threw himself into the newspaper work, in the beauty of his music and art, the way he'd lose himself in the latest scientific discoveries. All separate from the more flamboyant persona he put on as Zorro, but she loved it all the same.

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego had managed to avoid his father for much of the afternoon. Despite the fact that his father seemed to have reined in his critical mood earlier, Diego knew Alejandro was still irritated with him. He wished his father would just come out and tell him which particular failing was annoying him most right now. Or maybe it had nothing to do with Diego but rather his recent loss.

His father was more inclined to anger than to grief, and he was disinclined to talk about it. Back when that false medium had claimed to have spoken to Diego's mother, that had been the longest conversation they'd had about her in years, and it had been barely a conversation at all. He'd been genuinely surprised and pleased when his father had told him a little about their courtship days, but that was a far cry from talking about her loss.

It was the same with Mercedes. Only Zorro had gotten to see the full strength of Alejandro's grief, and Alejandro had seemed only barely aware of his presence. By the time Diego had returned home, his father appeared numb but controlled, and he hadn't mentioned Mercedes since the day of the funeral. The remnants of his grief and pain seemed to have disappeared from the moment they'd returned home that day though Diego knew they were still there, just below the surface, and he had learned to not to press his father too much. Things had seemed to return to normal, though Alejandro was not in the best of humors, and Diego tried hard not to aggravate him, with only limited success.

Then they'd thought Mendoza had died, followed by the revelation that he not only wasn't dead but had been convinced he was a bandit and had robbed the tavern. He knew he'd annoyed his father that day, first because he'd tried to get away when he first heard the news of Mendoza's death by claiming illness and then because he hadn't insisted on going with Victoria back to the tavern. At least, he'd seemed to have redeemed himself a little by taking Victoria with him back to the _hacienda_ after she'd been robbed, though he'd ridden out again as Zorro and Victoria had spent some time in the cave waiting for his return.

It was strange that his father hadn't asked what they'd been doing while Zorro was dealing with the bandits. Perhaps he assumed they were sitting and reading quietly. He wasn't sure if his father was glad that Victoria had agreed to leave town or if he thought Diego was a depressing influence on her. He didn't dare ask the question, as he was afraid that he might open himself to more probing questions from his father.

Perhaps it _had _been foolish to get wrapped in studying blackberries after everything was over, but he'd wondered at De Soto's behavior and thought perhaps that the berries might have been tainted in some way, though it seemed odd that only De Soto would be affected. But then no one had every been able to properly explain why some people seem particularly susceptible to certain chemical compounds when others were barely affected. He'd spent much of the two days running tests, but he found nothing unusual, and the only good thing to come out of it was the book on the symbolism of plants. It hadn't been the best time of year for it, but he had tried, and he was currently turning his hand to a poem to try to capture the full sentiments of the plants he had chosen.

Dinner was very quiet. Alejandro talked to Diego about some ranch business matters, and Diego made the effort to show the right amount of interest, but the conversation didn't go much further than that. Alejandro seemed to be brooding but unwilling to broach the subject that was troubling him. However when Diego tried to excuse himself after dinner, Alejandro in a sudden decisive mood said that he'd like to talk to Diego in the library in a few minutes.

Suppressing a sigh, Diego moved over to the library, wondering what his father had in mind. It was a minute before Alejandro entered the room carrying a small wooden box which he placed on the table beside him as he sat down. He stared at Diego in silence for a few minutes, while Diego tried not to fidget under the look. After all, it was his father who wanted to talk to him, and frankly the past few days, Diego had somehow said the wrong thing more than the right.

Finally, Alejandro said, "I know... I know that we don't understand each other very well at times, son. I admit that I often don't understand the point of some of your studies. And sometimes I wonder..." He stopped and shook his head. "But... that's beside the point. Diego, I'm not a fragile old man that you need to tiptoe around, and I wish you'd stop acting as if I were."

Diego was shocked. "Father, I'm not sure what you mean."

Alejandro stared at him again for a moment. "These past few weeks, it's felt like you were trying to spare my feelings. You don't need to."

Diego still was a little confused. Was his father saying he was irritated by Diego's attempts not to irritate him? He had thought he'd been behaving much as usual. He had moments where he'd had to hide things, but he'd been doing that for a while. With all that had happened, he couldn't be sure which particular recent thing was bothering Alejandro, but he was inclined to suspect it had something to do with Victoria, since most of their disagreements seemed to center on Diego's behavior toward her.

When Diego remained silent, Alejandro sighed and picked up the box next to him. "I don't know if you remember," Alejandro said, "but your mother left you her jewels to give to your wife, once you married."

Diego sat up. _So it did have to do with Victoria_. "I hadn't really thought about it," he said. _Only once or twice a day since I fell in love with her_. He stared at the box in his father's hand.

"Precisely, son. It's time you started thinking about it and not about me. It hurt when I lost your mother, and it hurt when I lost Mercedes. But I have many, many good memories. I'd very much like to see you making some of your own."

Suddenly it was clear to Diego. Oddly enough, he'd been so concerned about trying to spare his father pain that he hadn't thought about what would make him happy. "Father, I..."

"Well," Alejandro interrupted, "I thought you might want to take charge of your mother's ring," He handed the box to Diego, who opened it and looked at the emerald glittering there, as his father continued speaking, "if of course, you're thinking of asking Victoria to marry you in the near future. If you think she'd be willing."

Diego continued to look at the ring as he spoke to his father. There was that doubt again; did Victoria really strike him as the type to allow a courtship like his if she wasn't interested in marrying him? Did he think she was lonely or bored or, worse, taking pity on him? "Thank you, father. I wasn't sure whether or not it was too soon, but if you think it's a good idea..."

"Son, there's nothing I'd like better than to see the two of you married."

"Truly?"

"Truly, Diego," Alejandro said.

"And there is nothing I'd like better than to make you happy, Father."

Alejandro reached out and closed Diego's hand around the ring. "I know you and Victoria will."

The End

**Next Up:** "Wicked, Wicked Zorro." That one's been a bit of a struggle, but the draft is finished and will be going up in about a week, once the final polish is put on it.

**End Notes:** De Soto seemed to be having some kind of weird manic episode in "Mendoza the Malevolent." I mean his pouncing out at Mendoza calling for constant vigilance (well, maybe not quite, but he did seem to be channeling Mad-Eye Moody for a moment) and then his demented obsession with blackberries (not exactly a rare berry; wherever it takes root it seems to thrive like a weed and is often considered a nuisance), and I really wanted to do something with that, but it just wouldn't come out. But I did get fascinated by many of the meanings associated with plants, so I went with that instead. I did try to figure out plants that would be available in California during the time of year I was setting the story, but I probably got a few wrong which is why I didn't actually name anything other than rosemary. Also, I wanted a story in which Diego and Alejandro are somewhat irritable with one another for reasons other than Zorro. So I just melded both small ideas together for this bit of fluff.

And though I didn't mean for it to, this ended up being more of a transition piece between the previous story and the next one. Sorry about that, but on the plus side the next story will be going up much sooner than the last.

**Obliviatus**: Thank you for your feedback. I know "Love and War" ended up a bit weak. That definitely came by spending most of my time working out the matchmaking side of the plot and not enough time figuring out De Soto's, and by the time I was writing, I didn't have the energy to do more.

I was originally going to say that I probably wouldn't be making up any new episodes; however, after finishing the next story in this series, I've realized that I have way too many ideas to squeeze into or just after actual episodes, so there is the distinct possibility of a number of shorter stories set entirely between episodes, not quite new episodes but in the spirit of them. This series seems to be turning into something a bit different than I originally planned.

And there are at least two fourth season episodes whose plots will be changed almost beyond recognition. Besides "Love Potion Number 9", sadly "An Affair to Remember" will have to be completely different for obvious reasons, but both will retain at least one element of the original plot.

**jkl88**: I liked Mercedes too. It would have been interesting if she and Alejandro had married, but like with Ramone's death, letting her live would have made things more complicated for me, and while I'm getting a handle on things, I'm still not confident making major alterations other than the one big one I've already made.

**DietMJ**: Zafira always was a puzzle to me. He certainly never seemed truly heartbroken over her, and considering it was obvious that he was smitten with Victoria even before he'd seen her again (if you go by the movie version of _The Legend Begins_), this seemed the best way to explain why he'd gotten involved in the first place.

**Coucher de soleil**: Thank you. I definitely prefer Victoria to show some intelligence.

Feedback of all kinds is definitely welcome, since I have no chance of improving without it, and this series is kind of getting more complicated than I first anticipated.


	10. Wicked, Wicked Zorro 1

**Disclaimer:** Still just having fun, even with the serious episodes. And of course, anything you recognize isn't mine, and I might have borrowed a little bit from another episode or two, which you might also recognize.

**Summary:** To see the man who's almost always in control out of control can be a frightening experience.

**Author's Notes:** Perhaps not as many as "A New Lease on Love" but this one has enough changes that it goes through the full episode and a little bit beyond. I also need to extend special thanks to Ghetto Outlaw this time as this story required more revision than usual, as I had more than my usual number of difficulties here, and once again he came through with the right assistance as the saint he is.

As always, all feedback is not only welcomed and appreciated, but for this series, definitely needed, as things have gotten more complicated than I first anticipated.

**Spellbound**

**(Wicked, Wicked Zorro)**

**Part 1**

Victoria had come late to the show. The tavern didn't run itself, and even with the crowd outside, she'd still had things to do. She stood next to Mendoza as Doctor Lozano made Pedro Gonzalez believe he was a chicken. Diego was standing across from her next to his father, but it would be too much bother to move over to the other side at the moment, especially since she'd need to return to the tavern as soon as the show was over. There would be thirsty people.

She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. Making people act like chickens while it had its funny side was also a bit troubling. What else could someone be made to do? It seemed more like black magic than entertainment. So she couldn't help but laugh with some relief when Mendoza broke things up after Lozano tried to mesmerize him by saying he felt like it was time for lunch which sent Victoria back to the tavern to be sure everything was still going smoothly. She halted when something broke one of her upstairs windows. She looked around to see if she could see what had done it, but there was nothing suspicious. Lozano and Diego were talking by the show wagon. Victoria shrugged as she turned back to the tavern.

She supposed Diego was talking mesmerism with Lozano. Ever since the business with the _alcalde_ and the Emissary and following Mendoza's bout of amnesia, Diego had been trying to learn more about the malleability of the human mind. Lozano might be a quack, but Diego was always interested in anybody who could add to his store of knowledge, and clearly Lozano did know something Diego would like to learn about.

Once inside the tavern, Victoria took a few minutes to check the upstairs room and found that a rock had broken the window. She didn't understand where it had come from; she hadn't seen anyone throwing anything. Annoyed and slightly puzzled, Victoria cleaned up the glass and shuttered the window before returning downstairs where the lunch crowd kept her too busy to do more than wonder why Diego hadn't come inside. She heard in passing that he'd been seen walking out of town when De Soto came to arrest Lozano for being a charlatan. Victoria wondered why the _alcalde_ had gone to the trouble rather than simply telling the man to leave town. Perhaps, that was the reason Diego had left so suddenly.

On the other hand, Diego may have just been inspired by something else. He did actually get carried away by his interests on occasion. Not as often as it appeared to other people, but Victoria had seen him lose all track of time over some particularly fascinating bit of science or an experiment that couldn't wait. Victoria was actually fond of that trait of his, well, now that she knew that it didn't supercede his caring about people.

And he did use his knowledge to help people in more ways than they were ever aware of. More than his father was aware of, she thought with a touch of frustration. Why couldn't Diego let his father into his secret? The pain they managed to inflict on one another because of that secret troubled her greatly. She did know that even without the secret between them that Diego and his father would clash on occasion both because of their tempers and the difference in the way they looked at the world; those arguments at least would come from genuine disagreement. But to wound each other because of something that wasn't even true? She hated that.

Diego didn't return for the rest of the day, and there was no sign of Zorro either. Victoria missed him, but they hadn't had any particular plans, so she didn't worry about it. After all, Diego still needed to be unpredictable, so that no one would think it odd when he wasn't around when Zorro was. She was getting used to reminding anyone who asked about Diego's odd absences that she was an independent woman who didn't need a man hovering over her every second of the day, and she appreciated his love of science and the arts even if he was a bit absent-minded at times. Now, instead of insulting him, she'd gently tease him in public. They weren't the most conventional courting couple, but then they never had been and probably never would be.

She closed up the tavern as usual and went up to bed, not particularly concerned about anything. However, she was startled from sleep by the sounds of fighting in the _cuartel_. She heard someone yell Zorro's name. Sitting up, she listened intently until she was sure Zorro had escaped. Then tiredly, she lay back down wondering what Zorro had been looking for in the _alcalde's_ office. She was sure she'd find out tomorrow.

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria couldn't believe it as she stood in the crowd in front of the _cuartel_. The _alcalde_ was claiming that Zorro had robbed his safe of the tax money the night before, that he was nothing more than a thief. Showing the empty safe as proof. As if it were proof of anything more than the _alcalde's_ duplicity. She would have thought the _alcalde_ had done it himself if Mendoza hadn't been sporting a huge black eye, claiming Zorro had kicked him in the face.

_Another imposter_, Victoria thought angrily. _Ramone already tried that. Does De Soto think we're gullible enough to fall for that again?_ She wasn't going to let De Soto get away with this. "Zorro wouldn't do that. He's a good man." _The best man I know_.

It was at that point that the bank manager came running to the crowd. "It's Zorro! He's robbing the bank!"

De Soto looked vindicated as he said, "A good man, is he?"

Don Alejandro spoke out firmly. "Yes! It's got to be an imposter!"

Victoria was glad to see Alejandro's faith, especially as the bank manager showed the crowd the Z slashed into the back of his vest, asking what imposter could do that. Victoria was sure that any properly skilled swordsman could do it, especially if he had been deliberately practicing to impersonate Zorro. Before she could say anything, she heard voices crying out Zorro's name. Through the crowd she could just make out the sight of the masked man on the horse.

With growing horror as she watched him trying to evade the lancers, she realized it really _was _Zorro. The time she could have been fooled was long past. What was going on? If he'd encountered an imposter, where was the imposter? Why was he carrying those saddlebags? When he escaped on Toronado, riding over the rooftops, Victoria was hard pressed to know what to do. She barely even heard De Soto double the bounty on Zorro's head, as across the plaza she spotted the one person who could tell her what she wanted to know. She caught Felipe's eye and signed for him to wait. As casually as she could she excused herself from Don Alejandro and walked over to where Felipe was standing out of sight to most of the crowds.

Quietly, she said, "That was really _him_. Do you know what's going on?"

Felipe shook his head and making sure no one could see signed that Diego had been behaving strangely, like in a trance, and he hadn't come back to the cave since he'd ridden out as Zorro yesterday.

"A trance," Victoria said reflectively. "Then it has something to do with that Dr. Lozano. He was putting people under spells yesterday, mesmerizing them. Do you think Diego has any books on the subject?"

Felipe nodded, but then looked unsure. Victoria still had a little trouble following his signs, to her embarrassment, so it took her a little time to correctly interpret what he was telling her. "You think he has them, but you're not sure which ones," she said, then watching carefully. "You're afraid of what is going to happen if Zorro keeps acting this way. I am too, Felipe." She took a deep breath. "In many ways, you know him better than I do. What do you think we should do?"

This time it was much easier to understand. "You're thinking a trap in the cave?" Victoria asked. "Until we can figure out something better?"

Felipe nodded, then frowned before signing, "If he comes back."

"I'm sure he will," Victoria said with a confidence she didn't entirely feel before looking around at the bustle of the plaza. "I'm positive that the _alcalde_ wouldn't let me see Lozano just now, and I want to know more about mesmerism before I try finding out what he did. What excuse is best for me to use? Can I say that I thought he looked unwell yesterday?"

Felipe shrugged and indicated that it would work as well as anything else and that no one had really been looking for Diego.

"Good, that's a relief. I'll see you in the cave as soon as I can."

Felipe nodded, and Victoria headed back towards the tavern. It didn't take much time to make her excuses, and she was relieved that Don Alejandro was planning to remain in town to try to find out about what he still considered to be an imposter Zorro. The last thing they needed was Alejandro wondering where Diego really was.

Victoria spent the entire time riding to the _hacienda_ wondering that exact thing herself. Where would he have gone other than the cave? She wasn't aware of any other hiding places he had, but it was the first thing she asked Felipe when she got to the cave.

Felipe told her that there were several spots that Zorro might have gone to hide out; they'd scouted them out after the time Ramone had hired an Indian tracker to follow Zorro.

"But it would take too long to check, and he'd see us coming," Victoria said, translating Felipe's last signs. "I think you're right that he'll probably come back here soon, and I think your trap idea is the best idea if he's under a spell. At least until we find out what can break it. I'll look through the books and stay out of your way."

She wasn't going to distract Felipe with any more questions since he needed his hands to speak, and right now it was more important to be prepared for Zorro's return. Victoria went and looked on the shelves next to Diego's desk. She'd known he'd been studying human memory and how people could be influenced to believe strange things and hoped that he'd included something on mesmerism among his studies.

He had, but she found it very difficult going through his books as some were in English, and while she read it well enough, some of the terms were very difficult to make sense of. It all seemed very confusing, especially what happened to a person put under the influence and how to break the trance. As a headache started forming, Victoria thought that it would take someone with Diego's intelligence to clear this up, and he was the one who needed the help. She really would have to work harder on learning to read English properly. Once Felipe had finished up with the trap, she asked him if he could understand it any better, and after looking at the passages in question, he shook his head.

"If only we knew just what Diego might do under this _influence_," Victoria said. "So far it hasn't been much more than things that he's done as Zorro, but for wrong reasons. I know he's broken into the _alcalde's_ safe before, and the bank's along the same lines. Fighting the lancers and cutting Z's, that's pretty normal too, though kicking Mendoza in the face was more vicious," Victoria said, trying to convince herself that they didn't have that much to worry about. "What did he do when he left?"

Felipe signed that he was in a bad temper and knocked his hands away as he left.

"That's not too good," Victoria said. She knew Diego loved Felipe like a son or little brother; he had always seemed to treat him with gentleness and patience. She took a deep breath. "I need to talk to Dr. Lozano. He's the one who did this to Diego; I know it. I don't know how, but maybe I can get him to tell me something."

Felipe looked doubtful.

"I know that's _if_ the _alcalde_ lets me in, and _if_ the man will talk to me. I know he's not going to confess what he's done. No one could be that foolish, but maybe if I ask the right questions he'll tell me something we can use," Victoria said. "I'll tell anyone who asks that Diego went to bed with a headache. We can always change the story if needed." She looked at the trap Felipe had set. The thought that they'd need to trap him at all made her feel a little sick inside. "If this takes too long, I probably won't be able to return until tomorrow without it looking suspicious." She touched Felipe's arm. "Be careful. Please. We don't know what's happened to him."

Felipe nodded and signed that he wanted her to be careful as well.

"I will," Victoria said, thinking that Felipe would be far more likely to see Diego before she would. And she took comfort in the fact that he knew far more than she would exactly what he was capable of doing. After all, he'd been with Diego from the beginning and for the longest time was the only one to share his secrets and see the true man without either disguise. Victoria envied him that knowledge but didn't resent it. She couldn't.

~Z~Z~Z~

It was getting late. Victoria had been thwarted in her efforts to see Dr. Lozano. De Soto was not feeling generous; his attention was all on Zorro. The most Victoria could get him to say was that Lozano was a dangerous quack, and it was his job to protect the citizens of the _pueblo_. Victoria didn't press too hard as she didn't want anyone to suspect why she wanted to talk to Lozano.

She spent most of her time listening to what people were saying. When asked, she'd insist it had to be an imposter. Mendoza was the last of her customers to leave, and she was happy that he wasn't accepting that Zorro had turned thief, at least. It was the one bit of hope for her otherwise miserable day. She bolted the door, hoping that tomorrow would bring the solution to their problems. Walking over to the bar, she started stacking things to take to the kitchen. The atmosphere changed suddenly, and turning her head, she saw Zorro standing behind her.

She froze for a long moment, as she looked at him. Zorro hadn't come into her tavern when she was alone since she'd realized who he was, and now there was something in his eyes, a hardness that frightened her. Zorro had never frightened her before. Not even that first night they'd met. She'd been suspicious but not scared. But now there was ice in his expression.

"Z-Zorro?" she stammered out, trying to decide what was the safest thing to do. The books didn't make it clear at all, and he'd never seemed quite so large before. "What are you doing here?"

He stepped forward, knocking the tray from her hands. "The cash drawer, señorita."

Victoria backed up, fear creeping into her throat. It was almost as if he didn't recognize her at all. For a brief moment, she wondered if calling him by his right name would help, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, fearing it would make him worse. It took all her effort to say, "Zorro, think about what you're doing, please."

His only response was to step forward, grabbing her chin. "As lovely as you are, you talk too much. The money! Now!"

The pain from his grip was the least of her concerns, not so much as that look in his eyes. It was as if Diego wasn't even there at all, and yet... Victoria quickly got the money for him, hoping he'd simply leave and hoping even more that he'd head straight for the cave and Felipe's trap.

If only she knew what to do to bring back the Diego she knew and loved. But all she could do was watch him leave with the money. She leaned against the bar trembling for a couple of minutes, but then hating the need to do it, though confident that Zorro had left the _pueblo_, she opened the door to the tavern and yelled that someone dressed as Zorro had just robbed her.

When they finally made it across the plaza and heard her story, De Soto was smug, Mendoza sympathetic. She kept the story as brief as the robbery, still insisting that she didn't believe it was the real Zorro. She didn't know what would happen if Zorro got caught, but she was going to protect Diego in the hopes that they could break that evil influence on him. That was why she knew she couldn't go running to the de la Vega _hacienda_. Don Alejandro would expect Diego to do something, at least be there, and she couldn't risk the questions. All her hopes lay with Felipe.

So she insisted she was fine, locked the doors again, then locked herself in her room, hating the fear she was still feeling. She couldn't make herself undress for bed. Instead she sat and spent a few minutes staring at the picture of her family that Diego had painted for her and hung where she could see it first thing when she woke in the morning.

Going to her wardrobe, she pulled out a small box which contained everything that Diego had given her that would never be associated with Zorro. At the top was a poem he'd given her only a few days before, one he'd said that had been inspired by the flower message he'd given her before. It contained every bit of the meanings she'd discovered but was still so unexpected and beautiful that it made her blush. She looked from the painting to the poem a little sadly. Only Diego could have thought of them and made them so perfect, and now she was afraid of what he might do under the influence of this horrible spell.

Finally, putting away her box, Victoria knelt on the floor and began praying the hardest she'd prayed since she'd lost her mother so many years ago.

~Z~Z~Z~

Morning came, and there was no word of Zorro. Victoria was exhausted and nervous, wanting nothing more than to go to the de la Vega _hacienda_ and find out if Felipe's plan had worked. However, she pulled herself together enough to try to see Lozano again when she carried his breakfast over to the _cuartel_, but De Soto was adamant that Mendoza take the food into the prisoner, and Victoria couldn't convince him otherwise, especially when he showed specious concern about her tired looks after being robbed by "that villain Zorro." That had the advantage of annoying her enough that De Soto didn't seem to notice anything unusual about her behavior.

She walked back over to the tavern, angry enough to feel almost normal. Almost as if she hadn't been robbed by the man she loved. As she walked in the door, she was surprised to see Don Alejandro.

"Victoria, what's this I hear about Zorro robbing you?" he asked coming towards her.

Taking a deep breath, Victoria said, "I don't believe that it was really Zorro, but _si_, it's true. Last night."

"Why didn't you send for me or Diego?" he asked. "We would have come immediately."

"There was nothing you could have done, and I didn't want to disturb you," Victoria said.

"Oh, Victoria," Alejandro said. "You could never disturb us." He looked at her closely for a minute. "Did you get any sleep at all?"

"Enough," Victoria replied with a wan smile.

Alejandro shook his head. "I don't think so. Why don't you come back to the _hacienda_ with me? It would do you good to get away for a day after what happened last night, after all this isn't the first time you've been robbed lately. I'm sure Diego's around somewhere, though I couldn't find him before I left."

Victoria broke in. "I think he and Felipe had some plans for today. And I couldn't impose..." She trailed off because she most certainly did want to impose.

"Nonsense," Alejandro said, forcefully. "You should come. Spend the night even. It will be safer than staying in town, and if you're worried about the tavern, I'll come back and look after things myself."

Victoria made a show of being reluctant though this was exactly what she preferred. "If you really insist..."

"I do," Alejandro said. "Come back with me now. You don't even need to pack a bag; I'm sure we can find everything you need at the house."

Victoria nodded and then went to talk to Pilar and Alicia to tell them what she was doing, that Don Alejandro would be coming back to keep an eye on things and that she wanted the tavern to close a little early in the evening for both their protections. It only took a few more minutes for her and Alejandro to be on their way, since he'd brought the wagon to town.

They rode in silence for a while, before Don Alejandro spoke, in a tone that Victoria thought was supposed to sound casual but seemed unnatural to her. "Victoria, when you saw Diego yesterday, how was he?"

Victoria didn't look at him as she answered. "He didn't seem quite himself, but I'm sure he'll be feeling better today." _If a miracle happens_, she thought.

Victoria could feel Alejandro watching her from the corner of his eyes. She hoped he wasn't going to ask her more about her visit with Diego or ask any more awkward questions. She knew he'd had some doubts about whether she could really love the man Diego pretended to be, but she didn't think he was going to bring that up right now. Maybe he'd seen Diego acting oddly before he'd disappeared. Victoria wasn't going to ask, since she was claiming to have seen him.

"I'm sure he will, too," Alejandro said in an undertone, which seemed to imply that he'd better be.

Pretending she hadn't heard, Victoria sat quietly, trying to determine what she should do once they reached the _hacienda_. If Felipe's trap had worked, Diego would be tied up in the cave, and she'd need to convince Alejandro to leave her there alone.

It seemed like no time had passed when they reached the de la Vega _hacienda_. Victoria still hadn't made a decision, and when they entered the courtyard, she had to stop for a moment because a pebble had worked its way into her shoe. Alejandro would have stopped, but she asked that he go on in, while she sat on a bench for a moment, hoping the right plan would come to her. It didn't, so once she dropped the rock from her shoe and slipped it back on, she headed for the front door.

Entering quietly, Victoria was shocked to hear Diego's voice in the library.

"I was reading, Father." His words were uttered in a flat tone.

Victoria was worried. He sounded wrong, and if he was in the library, where was Felipe? She stood frozen to the spot as Alejandro spoke.

"Reading? I should have known. Zorro's running amuck, and you stand here reading. You should have gone to town. Zorro's robbed the _alcalde_, the bank, and last night, he robbed Victoria," Alejandro said, anger clear in his voice.

"Is she all right?" Diego asked in the same flat tone.

Victoria peeked around the corner, unsure what to do as Don Alejandro exploded.

"_Et tu, Brute_!" he yelled. "First Zorro, the defender of the people robs her, and you— you who've been courting her and claim to love her can only manage an indifferent, 'is she all right?'"

Victoria watched as Diego shook his head and looked at his father with utter confusion. "What— what did you say?" he asked in a small voice.

Alejandro threw up his hands. "You need to pay attention, Diego. I said, besides the bank and the _alcalde_'s office, Zorro robbed _Victoria._"

"R-robbed her? Is she all right?" he asked, this time with apparent sincerity.

Victoria almost sighed with relief. Diego seemed to be himself again, and in order to save him from Alejandro, she decided to make herself known.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said, coming up to him, a little nervously.

He looked at her confusion and fear in his eyes. He reached for her but didn't actually touch her. "Really?"

"_Sí,_ really I'm fine," Victoria said. She looked over at Don Alejandro who smiled at her, apparently reassured by Diego's more normal reactions.

"Well, now I'll get back to town and keep an eye on things. Diego, I trust you'll look after Victoria," he said, a little sharply.

Diego's eyes never left Victoria as he said, "Of course."

Alejandro looked at the two of them a moment before heading out of the room. Diego didn't seem to notice him leaving.

"_Zorro_ robbed you?" he asked, looking visibly shaken when she nodded. "He— he didn't hurt you, did he?" His voice cracked a little.

Victoria shook her head. "Just frightened me." Taking a deep breath, she moved forward and took hold of his face, looking deep into his eyes. "Are you all right now? You sound like _you _again."

Diego looked around, relieved to see that his father was gone. "Victoria, I don't understand. I don't remember anything since Lozano's show."

Victoria looked at the fireplace. What _had_ happened to Felipe? She was sure he'd set the trap right, and she was worried. "Diego, let's go to the cave. I'll be able to explain more there."

An uneasy expression on his face, Diego opened the panel and started down the steps ahead of Victoria. When he reached the bottom, he looked shocked and ran; Victoria hurried to see Diego kneeling next to an unconscious Felipe, who was starting to stir.

Victoria was behind them as Felipe sat up and seeing Diego pushed him away. What had happened?

"What's wrong?" Diego asked, then as Felipe signed, "I hit you? I'm sorry. I... I... I don't know what came over me. I wasn't myself."

Victoria reached Felipe's other side. He looked between her and Diego with a worried expression. Victoria tried reassuring him. "It's true. I don't know what happened, but the spell's broken."

Felipe glanced at Diego and not so subtly made sure he was between the two of them. From the expression in his eyes, she could see his doubt, though it took her a moment to understand what he was trying to tell her.

"Am I sure because he tricked you?" Victoria wanted to ask how, but not now with Diego looking sick beside her.

Felipe nodded still watching Diego warily. Victoria glanced at him and then back at Felipe. "Yes, I'm sure. When I got here, Diego sounded odd, indifferent, and Don Alejandro was angry with him, and then suddenly, he was himself again, like he'd just woken up." She looked at Diego. "We think Dr. Lozano put you in some kind of trance."

"Lozano," Diego said with disgust, standing up. "I think I need to pay the good doctor a visit." He turned away from them both for a minute.

Victoria helped Felipe up to his feet, smiling at him reassuringly. Felipe was watching Diego warily, as if trying to be sure that Diego really was himself again.

"He's in the _cuartel_, or at least he was when I left this morning," Victoria said. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure, but I need to find out just how dangerous he is and what he knows about what I've done." He looked at Felipe, a slight hesitation in his expression. "I might need your help. If you're willing."

The wariness had left Felipe's face, and with a lighter expression he nodded. Victoria was relieved because she could see Diego's feelings of guilt, even as he tried to concentrate on the problem.

"I'll stay upstairs in the library," she said. "If anyone asks where you are, I'll say you're getting..."

"More willow bark," Diego finished. "I think we all are going to have headaches today." He reached a hand towards her, but stopped. "Forgive me?" His voice was soft and hesitant.

"Always, but you don't need it now. You were under a spell." She quickly hugged him. "Please be careful." She looked over at Felipe. "Both of you." Not wanting to delay them, she turned and headed to the stairs after checking that the library was clear.

Once she was in the library, Victory looked for a book and then settled on the sofa to start reading but found it hard to concentrate on the pages. She was wondering what Diego and Felipe were doing but felt confidence in the fact that Diego was himself again, though she wished she could do something more constructive than sit still and provide an excuse if someone asked.

She wished she'd managed to do something more to help, but all her efforts since this started had proved singularly useless. It was Felipe who had managed to come up with a working plan. It was Don Alejandro who'd managed to break the spell, and he hadn't even known there was anything wrong. For all the difference she had made, she might as well have tried nothing at all. She loved Diego more than life itself, and yet she couldn't seem to help him except by doing nothing.

Sighing, Victoria realized those thoughts weren't helping any more than her previous efforts, and she tried concentrating on the book in front of her. However, exhausted by her previous worry and lack of sleep, Victoria found it almost impossible to keep her eyes open, and within a few minutes more she was fast asleep.

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria dreamed she was in her tavern. Mendoza was trying to rob her again; however, now she was fending him off with her heavy skillet. The first time she had been surprised, but this time she was angry. Victoria knocked the knife out of his hand and was about to hit him again when someone wrenched the skillet away. Twisting around, she saw Zorro standing there. But this wasn't the Zorro she knew. It looked like him but there was an emptiness in his eyes, and a frightening, predatory smile spread almost unnaturally wide across his face.

Mendoza had grabbed his knife again, this time lunging for the masked man. Zorro grabbed his knife arm and twisted it around to stab Mendoza in the gut. Victoria stood frozen for a second before turning and running up the stairs. She didn't have to look back to know Zorro was coming after her, barely a step behind. She ducked into her room and barely managed to slide the bolt into place before the heavy thud of a body slamming into it jarred the door. She ran for her window, letting herself out and slipping and sliding her way to the ground, running as she hit the dirt.

Even over her labored breathing and the whooshing of her dress about her ankles, she could hear footsteps behind her. Suddenly, she found herself running down into Zorro's cave. She made it as far as Toronado's curiously empty stall when her arm was grabbed from behind. Spinning around hard, she practically slammed into Zorro, who grabbed her other arm in an iron grip. This time she kicked at him, but it didn't do any good. He twisted her arm behind her, and she was sure he was going to break it.

Then suddenly he let go, throwing her against the cave wall. From the floor, Victoria rolled around to see Diego struggling with Zorro. The two men grappled with, shoved, and punched each other, Victoria watching confused. Even in a dream she knew this wasn't right, but she found she couldn't move from her place on the floor. She could hear Diego calling her name, but it seemed impossible to reach him.

Victoria sat up with start to see Diego standing over her with an anxious look on his face. It must have been his voice she'd heard. Relieved to see him back safe and sound, she grabbed him in a fierce hug, which he returned far too lightly for her tastes. She looked around to see Felipe standing nearby. He smiled at her a little uncertainly. Victoria glanced at the window; it seemed like the afternoon was nearly gone. She must have been sleeping for some time; she hoped that no one had noticed how long it had been.

"Are you all right?" Diego asked.

Victoria took a deep breath; he didn't need to know about her nightmare or her feelings of failure. "Yes, I'm fine. I was worried about you both." She pulled Diego's hand to lead him back to the fireplace. She wanted to know everything, but it wasn't safe to talk too openly outside of the cave. Once they were in the cave, Victoria said, "I want to know what happened. Were you successful? Are you safe again?"

"You could say so," Diego said. "Lozano's gone, and the money's been returned."

Victoria was relieved, but she wanted to know more. She sat down in a chair while Diego paced around. Felipe slipped past them to Toronado. Victoria was glad he was there. She was still worried about Diego.

"So what happened?" Victoria repeated. "It can't have been as simple as that."

"True," Diego said. "Things were a bit more complicated. Zorro snuck into town only to find out that Lozano had escaped. Apparently, he'd somehow mesmerized Mendoza and told him he was the new commandant. So there was nothing for it but to figure out where Lozano would go and meet him as myself. It wasn't hard to track him or get ahead of him. I acted as if I were still in a trance and convinced him that something had gone wrong." He glanced at Victoria. "Apparently the key to wake up from the trance was the words 'Et tu, Brute.'"

"Oh, that's what your father shouted at you."

"I see. My memory's a bit hazy all round. I have the oddest impression of being told to be clever and cunning like a fox, which I guess explains why I did everything as Zorro."

"So what did you do to convince him that things had gone wrong?"

Diego sat on the nearby stool, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes. He took a deep breath before quickly saying, "I held him at pistol point and said that I would kill anyone who got in my way and that no one could stop me. He panicked and said he didn't want the money, and I told him to leave California and never return. He agreed and hopefully is doing precisely that right now."

"But why?"

Diego sighed. "I was afraid that if I put him in jail, he'd soon realize that his orders to me were carried out by Zorro, and that seemed more dangerous than letting him go on his way. He really isn't as clever as he thinks he is, and I'm sure justice will catch up with him elsewhere."

"I hope so," Victoria said. "So what did you do after that?"

"Well, Zorro had to return all the money. The lancers were all out, searching for either Lozano or me, so it was a simple matter to slip it back into the bank and the _alcalde's_ office unseen. I..." he suddenly got hesitant again. "I... returned the money to the tavern last. That I dropped into the kitchen, when I thought my father was about to enter. He'll look after it for you. I'm sure he'll be eager to tell us all about it."

"I'm sure he will," Victoria said, then remembering something Diego had mentioned. "What about Mendoza? You said Lozano mesmerized him too."

"Oh, yes, before leaving town, I did manage to get the good sergeant alone long enough to say 'Et tu, Brute', and he was still confused enough that I managed to get out of town without him sounding the alarm."

"That's a relief. I wouldn't want Mendoza getting into trouble again so soon."

Diego's expression was flat. "No, he does seem to have had a bad run of luck lately."

Victoria stood up and crossed to Diego. "How are you?" she asked, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Well enough under the circumstances," Diego said. "Still trying to makes sense of all that happened."

"I'm sure you will," Victoria said.

Diego stood up suddenly. "I think we'd better return upstairs. I'm not sure if events in town will cause my father to return sooner than expected, and today's a day when I don't want him to wonder where we are." He crossed over to the viewing hole to check to see if anyone was the library, then headed up the stairs without looking back.

Victoria was taken aback. Clearly Diego was not all right, but equally clearly he wasn't intending to say anything more at the moment. She glanced across the cave to Felipe with an inquiring expression. He shrugged ever so slightly.

"Did everything go as easily as he said?" she asked.

Felipe nodded. Then carefully he tried explaining.

Victoria was as careful in interpreting his signs. "He's acting like it doesn't bother him, but you think he's unhappy. You think he blames himself for not being strong enough." Victoria looked at the bruise on Felipe's face. It was barely noticeable, but that wasn't the point. "How about you, Felipe? Are things all right with you?" He nodded and signed something that took her a few moments to get. "You don't blame him, but it will take time to forget being tricked, even though it's not his fault."

Felipe nodded and then pointed at Victoria, asking how she was.

"Worried about him," Victoria said. "I think it might take time for all of us. You two most of all, I think. You both had the worst of it. I only got a scare." A big scare, true, but she hadn't been fooled into thinking Diego was normal before finding out he wasn't, nor had she been the one whose will had been stolen. That she knew would weigh heavily. All she had to concern her were nightmares, and she'd had too many in her life to worry over those once she was awake. "I think we'd better get upstairs as well."

Felipe shook his head and indicated the cave entrance making the sign for horses.

"Oh, I hadn't thought about them still being out there," Victoria said. "I'll see you later then."

After checking that all was clear, Victoria went through the fireplace. As she closed the panel, she saw Diego reenter the library, his expression still strained though he smiled when he saw her.

"I was checking to make sure Maria knew that you would be having dinner with us and that my father may or may not be here. I suspect he probably will. I think he'll want to tell you what happened personally. We have about half an hour before it's ready," he said, looking around the room as if he were at a loss of what to do.

Victoria tried to think of something to distract him during the brief wait. Her eye lit on the piano. "In that case, would you play something for me?" she asked.

"It would be my pleasure," he said. "Anything in particular?"

"No, whatever you like," Victoria said. "I have no particular preference."

"All right," Diego said, going over to the piano and glancing through the sheet music before picking what he wanted.

While tempted to move a chair closer to the piano, Victoria instead chose the seat that gave her the best view of him as he played. She still wasn't sure what she could do to help him right now, but at least music would provide a distraction, and she did love to hear him play. He only glanced at her before he started playing, a very beautiful, haunting piece. Victoria tried to remember what it was called; it had been a long time since she'd heard Diego play it. She thought it might be one of Beethoven's Sonatas. She never could remember the numbers, preferring names, but she understood beauty when she heard it.

As Diego came to the end of the piece, Don Alejandro entered the _hacienda_. Victoria hoped she seemed sufficiently surprised at the news from town, which Alejandro told over dinner, after apologizing for closing her tavern that much earlier than usual.

"That's all right, Don Alejandro," Victoria said. "I don't really mind, not after all the excitement. I did want to close early tonight. Now tell me all that happened."

She was determined that Diego would not have to ask any questions, and Alejandro, eager to tell what had happened, didn't notice that Diego was very subdued throughout the telling. Alejandro told them how the money had been mysteriously returned.

"I caught a glimpse of Zorro as he left the tavern," he said, as he finished the tale. "I'm still not entirely sure what happened, but I think the imposter was working with Lozano. It's a shame that Zorro couldn't bring them both in."

Victoria was glad to hear Alejandro still believed there was an imposter and had a theory that she would push to anyone who wondered what had happened, but she didn't want anyone asking too many questions about why Zorro hadn't returned with Lozano or the reputed imposter. She spoke quickly. "It was probably a case of being able to either catch them or retrieve the money. At the moment, I'm simply glad to have the money back."

"You're right, Victoria," Alejandro said. "Better that we get the funds back. Even Zorro must have his failures on occasion."

"Probably more than anyone suspects," Diego said, a trace of bitterness in his voice.

"But the good he does more than makes up for any failure," Victoria said. "He's been defending the pueblo almost single-handedly for three years. I don't think we can blame him when he can't do everything."

"No, we can't," Alejandro said. He looked reflectively at his glass of wine. "Sometimes it can be hard to remember that there is a man beneath that mask, a man who is capable of the occasional mistake."

"I think he's lucky that most don't," Diego said, eyes focused on the table.

"True," Alejandro said. "Most of the lancers think he can't be killed. I've heard stories of his abilities to walk through locked doors. In some ways he does seem more legend than man, and that's a definite advantage."

"In most cases," Diego muttered.

Alejandro looked sharply at him.

"Tell me again about Mendoza," Victoria interjected before Alejandro could say anything. "I can't believe the poor man called De Soto 'private.'"

Focusing back on Victoria, Alejandro said, "Oh, yes. It was right after Lozano escaped. Mendoza was strutting around acting as if he were _alcalde_. We guess that's how Lozano managed to escape, but sometime in the afternoon, Mendoza came out of it and was very embarrassed. Luckily for him De Soto was more irritated about Lozano's escape."

"Well, I am pleased to hear that," Victoria said. "De Soto just decided to cancel Sepulveda's punishment; I wouldn't want Mendoza to end up in his place."

"Well, no it doesn't look like that at all," Alejandro said. "De Soto seems to be fuming more about Zorro's return of the money. He keeps insisting it was all some kind of plot, though what he says doesn't make any more sense than his usual blustering."

"And once again it's business as usual," Victoria said.

Conversation turned general after that. Victoria could see that Diego was making more of an effort to appear normal, but she still sensed the strain. Once dinner was over, in order to make things easier for Diego, Victoria made her excuses to Don Alejandro saying that she was very tired and asked if he wouldn't mind if she retired early. She felt a little guilty when he apologized for not realizing that she was exhausted. And it did sting slightly to see Diego looking relieved, even if she was trying to spare him stress. She hoped that Alejandro didn't notice Diego's hesitation before he kissed her hand. Victoria hadn't been able to help noticing that he hadn't initiated any contact with her since he'd woken from his trance. She wondered what exactly was making him want to keep his distance. Was it shame for robbing her? Or did he just not want to let her too close right now? There were times when he was as much a mystery to her now as when she thought he was two different people.

TBC


	11. Wicked, Wicked Zorro 2

**Spellbound**

**(Wicked, Wicked Zorro)**

**Part 2**

Victoria was tired of staring at the ceiling. Apparently the sleep she'd gotten earlier had been more than she'd needed. She looked around and wished she'd thought to pick a book to bring with her from the library, but she'd been in too much of a hurry to convince Don Alejandro she was too tired to stay up any longer. However, it had to be past midnight, and surely Diego's father had gone to bed ages ago.

After lighting the candle and thinking about it for a few minutes, Victoria decided it was worth the trouble to get dressed again before leaving the room; it wasn't as if sleep was going to be easy either way. She was glad she'd picked one of her less troublesome outfits when she'd changed that morning. Pausing in the hall, she was tempted for a moment to go to Diego's room to see if he was still awake, but aside from concerns of Alejandro catching her, she was sure she'd shock Diego as well. After all, aside from the time she'd been shot, Diego had never been alone with her in her bedroom either with or without a mask, and the one time she'd entered Diego's room alone, he'd seemed genuinely shocked. Or had it merely been because he'd been covering up Zorro again.

Someday, she'd have to sit down with him and find out for certain what he'd been doing during those days when she hadn't known because even now she had some trouble reconciling what things had looked like with what had actually happened. He had been very good at switching parts quickly, to the point that she'd once been almost positive she'd seen Diego and Zorro at the same time.

Shrugging a little, Victoria decided to go to the library and find something to read. At the moment, she wasn't sure if there was anything she could or should say to Diego. She stared at the shelves a few minutes, not really struck by any of the books, not even the one she'd been trying to read earlier. Looking at the fireplace, she thought she might go down to the cave and grab one of the books on mesmerism. Even if it didn't help her understand, it would probably help her get to sleep.

Opening the panel, she slipped down the stairs, candle in hand, though she knew she wouldn't need it. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she was surprised to see Diego sitting at his desk, though at the same time she felt she should have expected it. He was surrounded by books, yet when she first caught sight of him, he was more focused on something small and glittery in his hands. He looked up as she reached the bottom of the steps and quickly dropped whatever it was into one of his pockets before standing up.

"Victoria, what are you doing here?" he asked, more surprised than she was.

Setting the candle down, Victoria crossed the room. "I couldn't sleep and was looking for something to read. There's a book here that I wanted to look at."

He glanced at the desk. "Which one?"

"It doesn't matter," she said, as she came closer. "I'd rather talk with you if you don't mind." Actually, she wanted to hold him and let him know that everything would be all right, but he looked as if he'd flinch if she touched him.

Sounding a little unsure as he glanced around the cave, Diego asked, "Right now?"

"_Sí_, why not?" Victoria asked. She pulled a small chair close to his desk chair and sat. "It's not like you were sleeping either." She looked up at him. "Please?"

He sat down a little heavily, not really looking at her. "What do you want to talk about?"

"You," Victoria said. "I've been worried about you, _mi amor_."

Diego kept his eyes on the books on the desk. "You've had good reason to be worried, Victoria. Between hearing the story from Felipe this afternoon and Father at dinner, I can't believe what I did."

"It wasn't as bad as you seem to think," Victoria said, trying to find the right words to reassure him. "A little more vicious than Zorro's usual behavior..."

Diego looked at her suddenly, anger apparent in his eyes. "I'm supposed to be glad because I wasn't an utter monster? That I didn't kill anybody, that I _only_ knocked Felipe out, that I _only_ robbed you..."

"No, I don't expect that at all. What I expect is what I see here. You looking through your books, finding out a way to make sure that nothing like this happens to you again. To do what it takes to protect us all," Victoria said, staying seated through sheer force of will. "I simply don't want you to blame yourself for something you couldn't control."

"I should have been able to," Diego insisted.

"Brilliant as you are, you couldn't have anticipated this. I don't see how anyone could," Victoria said.

Diego stared at her before shifting his gaze back to the desk, not saying anything, not looking convinced. Victoria tried not to sigh. She knew it would take some time for him to forgive himself for the crime of not anticipating the improbable, especially since this was the third time within a short period that something truly unforeseeable had happened. No one could have known that Mercedes had a brutish husband or that Mendoza would get amnesia and be convinced he was a bandit, and certainly, they couldn't have predicted his being mesmerized by a traveling showman.

But she didn't want him to keep pushing her away while he worked through it. It seemed to be one of the prices that Zorro demanded of him. The boldness and assurance of Zorro seemed to be counterbalanced by the caution and reticence of Diego— unless of course, the circumstances didn't allow time for serious reflection. And he insisted on carrying his burdens almost alone. She wondered if he regretted that she knew his secret, if he still wanted her to think that the man she loved was a faceless legend, invincible and invulnerable.

She knew that while he relied on Felipe for support in his experiments and his actions as Zorro, he kept to himself many of the doubts and fears that she knew plagued him because he felt he'd already put too heavy a burden on the young man's shoulders. She also had realized that there was a lot he kept from her as well, to keep her safe or to keep her from worrying or perhaps simply out of habit, but she wished he wouldn't. After all, Victoria knew that there wasn't a lot she could do to help the legend, but she hoped she could find a way to help the man, if she could only find the right words. She had sudden flash of a tiny old woman with white hair and a black dress and the sweetest smile she'd ever seen.

"You are the strongest man I know," Victoria said, glancing at Diego for a moment before leaning back in the chair and closing her eyes, hoping this was the right way, "and I know what it feels like to have to be strong all the time. To not want to burden others, to feel that you should be able to handle everything by yourself."

She opened her eyes just enough to glance at Diego from beneath her eyelashes. He seemed frozen in his seat, but turned just a little more towards her. Victoria closed her eyes again before continuing, afraid that she sounded foolish or even possibly selfish for wanting him to need her.

"Do you remember Abuelita? Doña Teresa Alvarez?" Victoria paused for a moment but Diego remained still and quiet. "When my father and brothers left, I was determined to do everything myself. It was very hard but your father was kind enough to step in and help me. I was grateful, but he had his own business to deal with so I struggled with many things alone. After all, I was an Escalante. But then there was Abuelita— no one but _caballeros_ called her by her proper name. She used to come to town once a week on marketing day, and she'd spend a few hours sitting in the tavern, in the old rocking chair that my own grandmother used sit in.

"She'd tell me about when she was a girl— her father had owned a tavern, and I think she was as surprised as anyone when Don Roberto proposed to her. She'd learned to be a proper doña, but she never forgot where she came from. I found that comforting..." Victoria stopped.

She was straying from her point, and Diego was still sitting there, not saying a word. She took another breath and tried to focus again. "She helped me learn new recipes, easier ways to do things. Once in a while, when it looked like I might have troublesome overnight guests, she stayed in town, though she'd never say that was why. She understood my pride better than I did and found ways to help me that didn't wound that pride, letting me do things for her as well, even when she didn't need them done.

"I never really told her how much it meant or the nights I'd spent crying sure that I was going to fail. But what I remember the most was the time she told me it was good to be brave but it was better to be brave enough to know when you need help." Victoria kept her eyes tight shut to keep the tears from flowing as she remembered the kind old woman who'd died only a few weeks after that conversation. "I know I can't fight like Zorro. I can't help you the way Felipe does. Sometimes I feel the only way I can help is to control my temper and stay out of the way. But I love you, the man who can't control everything, and I will always be here for you, if you will let me," she paused, still unsure if this was what she should say. "I'm not fragile. I won't break if you lean on me; I don't expect you to be invincible or invulnerable. You don't have to be strong alone."

She opened her eyes then and looked at Diego, not sure if she'd made any sense at all, if she should have said nothing at all and simply left him to work through it on his own. He usually did, but that's not what she wanted him to have to do.

Diego sat still for a long moment. At length, he reached over and placed a hand on hers. "I... I'm sorry."

"I've tried to tell you, you don't have to be sorry for..."

"That... isn't what I meant."

Victoria leaned back a little. She hadn't expected this and could hardly guess at what he was going to say next.

"You're right... about everything. I think I've known it all along but didn't want to admit it. I _have_ tried to do things on my own. I've tried to be with you and keep you at a safe distance at the same time. My pride, my arrogance has clouded my thinking. That's part of why I've been so angry with myself."

"Diego..."

He rose and crossed to Toronado's stall. "I do remember Doña Teresa," he said as he gently stroked the horse's mane. "My mother often visited her, and she was very kind to me as well. I also remember something Sir Edmund once told me when I was in Madrid. He told me that he would send home a man who could fight." Diego turned back to Victoria. "And I have."

"I know," Victoria got up and walked over to him. "You've fought so hard for this pueblo and all the people in it..."

"But I haven't fought for you. At least not the way I should have." He reached into his pocket and then slowly removed his closed hand. "Victoria... _mi preciosa..._ I never wanted you to think that I don't need you or that I think you're too fragile to be relied on. Losing you would devastate me more than any weapon the _alcalde_ could devise. You are my heart, the best part of me. There will always be some things I will have to do alone but... but I don't want to live this way the rest of my life... our life."

Diego opened his hand. In his palm was a ring. It was gold with an emerald centered in an oval setting, truly exquisite workmanship. Victoria's heart began to hammer furiously. "Diego?" she breathed.

"I know we've talked about this, at least secretly. But I don't want this to be secret any more. I want to tell the world of our love. There's a question I want— no, I _need_ to ask." He eased himself down to one knee and took her by the hand. "Victoria Escalante, love of my life, will you marry me?"

For a long moment, Victoria stood there, stunned. "Marry you?" she finally asked, not sure she wasn't dreaming. Much as she'd wanted to hear those words, she hadn't expected them this night.

He nodded, a hint of anxiety creeping into his face. As she finally absorbed that he meant it, Victoria felt a surge of happiness flood her.

"Yes. Absolutely and definitely yes, I'll marry you," she said, one part of her wondering if she was going to wake up suddenly in her tavern and discover that none of the events of the past seven months had happened and that she and Diego were as far apart as ever.

It still seemed almost unreal as Diego slid the ring onto her finger. She stared at it while Diego stood up. Then looking up at him, she threw herself into his arms with such force that he staggered back a few steps before recovering, holding her so that her face was even with his. She stared into his eyes, warmed by the love she saw there.

A moment later, he leaned forward and kissed her. It was a hesitant kiss at first, almost as if he were finding it as hard to believe that she said yes, as she was that he had asked, but it intensified quickly. She tightened her arms around his neck even as his arms tightened around her waist. They still kissed as he lowered her back to the ground. Keeping on her toes, Victoria held Diego close, even as his hands slid to lightly hold her waist. Diego drew slightly back, kissing her cheeks, her nose, and her forehead, before gently taking hold of her hands, kissing each one in turn before taking a step away from her. They were both having a hard time controlling their breathing.

He looked down at their joined hands and then around the empty cave, and Victoria knew he'd just realized exactly how alone and likely to be undisturbed they were. They had always played with temptation, but Diego had always been very careful to keep things from going too far. Victoria was afraid that she wasn't as proper as she should be when it came to him, especially right at this moment. But it wasn't fair to rely on his notions of being a gentleman, not when he'd had such a rough couple of days.

"We could sit in the library for a minute," Victoria suggested, not wanting to leave him yet.

"I think that would be a good idea," Diego said. "Much safer."

Hand in hand they walked over to the spy hole. She stood on the step, and even though she knew she shouldn't, she leaned over to plant a kiss on his neck.

"Victoria," he whispered, turning to give her a kiss of his own, "my sweet devilish angel, be kind and please wait at the top of the stairs."

She grinned at him but then went upstairs to wait for him to follow, which he did almost immediately, carrying the candle she'd left on the table. He quickly opened the panel and they slipped into the library. He put the candle down before turning to face her again.

Diego lifted the hand with the ring. "Are you really sure about this?"

"Never more sure," Victoria said, looking up at him. "You don't doubt me, do you?"

Diego leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "No, just my own good fortune."

"I love you," Victoria said, "so much that I doubt my own luck in having found you." Giving into temptation, she pulled him towards her for a kiss.

Long moments later, Diego looked at her and smiled. "It does seem like a miracle," he said, caressing her cheek. "My father's going to be pleased."

"Pleased about what?" Don Alejandro's voice startled them.

Victoria nearly jumped out of her skin when she turned and saw Don Alejandro standing in the doorway, hair disheveled, wearing a heavy red dressing gown, and looking more than a little stern. Her first coherent thought was that she was glad she had bothered to get dressed again before leaving her room; her second was that she hoped he hadn't been standing there long. She was sure her cheeks had to be as red as the color of his robe.

"Well, children," Alejandro said meaningfully, "is there something I should know about?"

Diego recovered from the shock more quickly than Victoria, assuming an air of near perfect composure as he took hold of her hand. "Victoria's just agreed to marry me," he said.

Victoria looked at Don Alejandro nervously, for the first time wondering if he really approved of her. She was slightly reassured when his gaze shifted from Diego and his expression dissolved into a warm smile.

"Have you really?" he asked her, genuine pleasure in his tone, though there was a touch of concern in his eyes. "You _are _sure?"

Looking back up at Diego, she took courage in his smile. Even though she was nervous, she wanted to assure Don Alejandro of her feelings for his son, she said, "Oh, yes. There's nothing I want more than to marry him..." Falling silent, she was comforted by Diego's gentle pressure on her hand and leaned slightly against his arm.

The slight concern in Alejandro's eyes vanished. "In that case, you were right. I've been wanting to hear that news for some time, and I couldn't be more happy about it." He looked at his son with a slightly more critical eye. "Even if the timing is somewhat unconventional."

Victoria felt tongue-tied, but whatever loss of speech she'd had, Diego seemed to have regained his. He was himself again, oddly both her Diego and the Diego he played for his father at the same time.

"I've been trying to find a chance to propose, Father, but things have kept getting in the way. When Victoria came looking for a book, for once, I decided to seize the opportunity rather than let it slip away— again."

"Finally, I'm glad to see you acting like a de la Vega," Alejandro said, clapping Diego on the shoulder. "Now as exciting as this is, the hour is late," he turned his attention to Victoria, "and the discussion of your engagement and wedding can wait until tomorrow. We should all try to get some sleep. After all, there is much to be done, and I'm sure we will all want to get an early start."

"Of course, Father," Diego said. He turned to Victoria. She thought he was going to kiss her hand as usual, but he surprised her by giving her a light kiss on her lips. "_Buenas noches_, _mi novia hermosa_," he said, softly.

Still nervous in front of his father, Victoria simply smiled at him as she said her own good night and slipped from the room quickly. She even forgot the candle she had brought with her.

~Z~Z~Z~

Though she hadn't expected to, Victoria had eventually fallen asleep. Though this time her reasons for sleeplessness were far more pleasant than the night before's, though not entirely, as a few nagging doubts plagued her. She still wondered what Don Alejandro would say in the morning. He'd seemed happy, but was it simply because his son had managed to propose to _someone_?

With determination she pushed those thoughts away and thought about Diego instead. Looking at the ring on her finger, she still couldn't quite believe he'd finally asked the question. He was so concerned about moving forward cautiously she'd fully expected he wouldn't be ready for another few months, but he'd surprised her, and she couldn't be happier. She didn't expect everything to be perfect, but as long as they moved forward together, that would be enough.

Despite the late hour at which she'd fallen asleep, Victoria still woke early from habit. Dressing again, she tried to decide what to do. She was feeling a little nervous about facing Don Alejandro, even though she knew she shouldn't, and she wasn't sure when Diego would get up. He'd had a very hard couple of days and was more used to sleeping late than she was. Finally, she decided she was being ridiculous. Don Alejandro approved of the engagement if not the circumstances in which it had happened. She had no reason to hide from him or anyone else. Grabbing her shawl, she headed out the door.

The _hacienda_ was still mostly quiet. She walked into the empty library and looked out the window, wondering if it would be better to go outside. As she stood there, a very familiar pair of arms stole around her waist, and she leaned back to look up into the face of her fiancé, happy to see him and even happier that the hesitation of the night before seemed to be gone. He leaned down to give her a light kiss.

"Good morning," he whispered in her ear, before letting her go.

"You're up early," she said, sitting on the sofa.

He sat next to her. "Well, last night after you left, Father made it very clear that he expected me to up bright and early to discuss the details of our engagement and marriage."

"He's not upset with us, is he?" Victoria asked, her nervousness returning.

Diego put his arm around her and pulled her close. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Not at all; it's because he's eager to get started planning at a non-scandalous hour of the day."

"Did we scandalize him?" Victoria asked, sitting back up to look at him from a safer distance.

Reluctantly Diego removed his arm from around her after kissing the top of her head. "Not really, though he pretended to be for the sake of form and to remind me to be more careful of both your honor and your reputation with an emphasis on your honor. I don't think he thinks I'm so very harmless any more, and I foresee closer supervision in our future."

"Even now that we're engaged?"

"_Especially _now that we're engaged," Diego replied.

"That doesn't make sense."

Diego sighed as he looked at her, and she could feel herself blushing at the expression in his eyes. "It does to me." He took her hand. "He made it clear last night that he wants to invite as much family as possible. I think it will be at least spring before we can be married."

"Actually, son, I was thinking June at the earliest," Alejandro's voice interrupted them.

Victoria managed not to jump this time, but it was getting disconcerting.

"June, Father?" Diego asked, a trace of incredulity in his voice. "That's almost nine months."

"Yes, Diego," Alejandro said as he sat down in front of the couple. "You have no idea how long it takes for invitations to travel and to deal with everything pertaining to the wedding. Your mother and I were engaged for a full year before we got married. I won't make you wait quite that long, but I've been waiting a long time to celebrate your marriage, and I intend to do it properly. It's what you both deserve." He looked at Victoria with a bit of hesitation. "I hope you don't object to my taking charge. I have always thought of you as a daughter, and now that you are going to officially join the family, I want to be sure you feel properly welcomed into it."

Victoria smiled a little wanly. She understood exactly what he wasn't saying, and she felt a little emotional at both the thought and the delicacy behind it. She knew she was marrying into a wealthy and well-connected family, and she was neither, even if she wasn't exactly poor or nobody. Her parents were both dead: one shot for helping a revolutionary; the other died as a political prisoner. Her brothers— Francisco was in the military, and to be honest, she wasn't sure what Ramon was doing. Both their letters tended to be sporadic and vague. There were no other relatives. And even if her parents had been alive, Don Alejandro would have been the one taking charge of the wedding plans, since she was marrying above her station. Her earlier doubts gone, she knew he wanted the grand wedding not just because his son was finally getting married, but to let everyone know he wanted her to be his daughter-in-law.

"No, I don't mind. _Gracias_," she said, then glancing at Diego. "It's supposed to be a lucky month for marriage."

Diego looked at his father and then at Victoria and smiled. "Early June, Father. In fact the first of June if at all possible," Diego said, firmly.

"Fine, Diego," Alejandro said. "It will be tight, but I'm sure we can manage, though I'm going to have to start writing to all our relatives immediately. There are Victoria's brothers, your great Aunt Catalina and all her children and grandchildren, your cousin Rafael and his family. Oh, and with everything that happened, I hadn't had a chance to tell you that I just received a letter from your Uncle Cecilio telling us that he and Magdalena are coming to California to deal with some family holdings outside of Monterey, so we'll be able to invite them as well."

"They're coming to California? Was there more trouble at the University?" Diego asked, an oddly worried tone in his voice that puzzled Victoria until she remembered about Sir Edmund Kendall and the bounty hunter who'd killed him.

"No, your uncle's as apolitical as they come, but they did seem to want a change of climate for a while," Alejandro said. "And they should already be on their way to California by this time."

"I'll be glad to see them again," Diego said.

At this point, Felipe entered the room. Alejandro looked at the boy. "Did Diego tell you the news that he and Victoria are engaged?"

With a big grin, Felipe nodded. He made a few sweeping gestures. Alejandro had always had more difficulty than Diego with his signs, and as was his habit, Diego translated even though it was easy enough to see what Felipe meant.

"He says it's about time, which is precisely what he told me this morning. Well, that and a few other things I'll leave out," Diego said, grinning at his young friend.

Felipe ducked his head in some embarrassment, with a look that said a lot. Victoria wondered if she'd need to tackle Felipe or Diego to find out what those other things were, but Felipe slipped her a sly grin and a couple of small gestures which he'd developed just for her, for those times when she was worried about Diego but couldn't ask the questions. Together they meant "concerned but otherwise all right." She smiled back at him and decided that whatever it was could stay between them. Diego glanced at Felipe confused, but Felipe simply shrugged.

Alejandro ignored the byplay between the three of them. "I thoroughly agree with him," he said. "It is about time, and I'm glad we can start planning for the future."

"I am, too," Victoria said. "But I really should get back to the tavern this morning. I can't leave Pilar and Alicia to deal with things without me now that everything is back to normal."

"I'll take her back, Father," Diego interjected before Alejandro could say anything.

"Fine, Felipe and I will go with you," Alejandro said. "I have no idea how much work Victoria's going to get done once word of your engagement gets out, and I'm looking forward to seeing it."

"Instigating it," Diego murmured only loud enough for Victoria to hear.

Alejandro gave his son a sharp glance but only said, "I'm going to tell Miguel to get the carriage ready." He stood up and headed for the door.

Felipe looked after him and then looked at Diego and Victoria. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Diego signaling for Felipe to leave, which he did with an exaggerated nod.

"June," Diego said with mild disgust, "and you agreed to it."

"Well, _you _told me you were going to let his judgement be your guide," Victoria said. "And he's so happy about it." She wasn't going to say that she appreciated Alejandro's thoughtfulness too much to want to argue with him. Some things were better left unsaid. As intelligent and compassionate as Diego was, there were some proprieties he'd always ignored, and she loved him too much to ever mention the difficulties she'd experienced because of that.

"Nine months is a long time to be engaged," he said, playing with the ring on Victoria's hand.

"Not as long as indefinitely," she replied. "You were the one willing to wait forever."

"And I was an idiot."

Laughing, Victoria said, "No, just short-sighted."

Diego smiled self-deprecatingly before turning serious. He gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "Things are going to get a little more complicated from this point on," he said gently. "I _will_ need your help more to keep people from wondering why your intended husband is absent or leaves your side so often."

Victoria put her hand over his. "We'll make it work. I've already said I don't mind an absent-minded suitor who gets so involved with what he's doing he forgets about me. I'll also tell anyone who's interested that I love my still absent-minded _novio_ who would rather avoid some of the tedious wedding planning or who clumsily hurts himself or suffers from colds or gets too wrapped up in other things." She smiled at him. "Between you and me and Felipe, we'll figure out how to make everything believable."

Diego looked into her eyes. "I'm sure we will," he said, caressing her cheek. "Though I think everyone will think I'm quite mad to not want to spend every waking moment with you."

"As long as you're safe, I don't mind if people think we're both _loco_," she replied, leaning forward to kiss him. She was feeling ridiculously happy as she wrapped her arms around him.

He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss for a moment before ending it with a reluctant sigh as he heard his father call, "Diego! Victoria! The carriage is ready!"

"We're coming!" Diego replied. He smiled broadly as he looked into Victoria's eyes. For a moment, he cast a glance towards the front of the _hacienda_. He looked back at Victoria and his smile turned into a grin. "Since you don't mind if everyone thinks we're crazy, what are your thoughts on eloping?"

Thinking of Don Alejandro waiting outside, she decided to ignore his half-joking question. With a smile of her own, she stood and said, "I think, my love, that the carriage is ready."

The End

**Next Up:** "Rush to Judgement."

**End Notes:** I was originally going to be a little lazier with this story, but as I thought about the story I remembered that the other reason I wanted Victoria to learn Diego's secret (aside from allowing their romance to flourish) was that I wanted her to become more of a help than a hindrance to him. A Victoria who knows Diego's Zorro isn't going to sit still twiddling her thumbs when Zorro appears to have gone amuck. Hence her and Felipe working together to try to fix things, even if her efforts didn't actually effect the plot that much.

Also in the original episode, Diego seemed to have gotten over being hypnotized too easily. For a man who prides himself on his self-control to just dismiss his uncontrolled robbery spree as "an irrational force, perhaps a dark side we all share, unleashed by a dangerous mental science" didn't seem quite right. So I decided to focus more on that side of the equation. In the episode, it was odd that Victoria forgave Zorro so easily as she had no idea what had happened to him to make him behave so badly, since his explanation didn't really explain anything. In this case, I thought she would find it easy to forgive him because she understood what happened to Diego wasn't his fault, and he wasn't in control of his actions, any more than Mendoza was to blame for his amnesia episode. But I'm also not overly into having the characters brooding or angsting over things (I've discovered I don't particular like writing a brooding Diego), so I hope the characters come off as taking things seriously, even if they seem to recover quickly.

On another note, I have a terrible time writing the character of Felipe, which is why he's been given a bit of short shrift in my stories. It's not that I don't like him. I do. The relationship between him and Diego is one of the best parts of the series, but I can't figure out the best way to write him and his signing. I've seen it done all sorts of ways. As plain dialogue, set aside as italics or by asterisks, done somewhat like the series, but I still haven't found the way that feels comfortable or natural for me, though in this story I mostly decided to stick with the show's method. IcyWaters did give me some good tips for writing for a mute character (Felipe and Bernardo may be quite different characters but the challenge of writing for them is the same), but this is definitely a work in progress for me. I'm still trying to work through the awkwardness.

For a while I kept flipping back and forth between two episodes for the engagement, this and "A Woman Scorned", but what finally made this one win out was its place in the production order timeline. I wanted them to have a longer rather than shorter engagement, mainly because traditionally engagements used to be longer, and if Alejandro wanted to invite a lot of family (which it seemed he would), that would take time and planning. I do know that I'm not particularly historically accurate about a great many things, but neither was the series, so mostly I'm simply trying to stay within the parameters of the show and keep from being even more anachronistic than they were.

* * *

As always all forms of feedback are welcome and appreciated, especially as I'm a little unsure about how I'm going to be handling everything that's coming up. So any questions about what I've been doing or things you think should or should not happen. Any particularly favorite scenes or stuff you'd like to see more of. This beast is getting a little out of control, and I'm not entirely sure how to tame it.


	12. Rush to Judgement

**Disclaimer:** I am merely playing with the characters. I certainly have no claim on anything but my own ideas, and obviously anything you recognize from the episode is not mine.

**Summary:** Even the best laid plans can hit a few snags.

**Author's Notes:** Yes, I know in the episode the calendar says January 10, however that ends up making a mess of quite a few things even in the series proper, so for my purposes I'm ignoring that date entirely. I know I've been very vague about dates up until this point (and I'm going to continue to be vague about precise dates), but I am working from a timeline of sorts and for my convenience this story is set in mid-October.

And once again I need to thank Ghetto Outlaw for his invaluable assistance with the ending to this story. He always seems to know the right way to take a thread of what I've been writing and find the perfect way to tie it off in the end.

**Snap Decision**

**(Rush to Judgement)**

Diego finished washing the blood from his hands, relieved that it hadn't been too difficult to remove the bullet from Señora Valverde, who was now lying unconscious in one of the guest rooms. There wasn't anything more that he could do for her, and so he left her to the watching of Luisa, an older servant who had sat by many a sickbed.

He should have known that the peace couldn't last, and it had been a peaceful three weeks since he and Victoria had gotten engaged. It had been a relief, since Diego had been reluctant to don the mask after he'd robbed the _pueblo_ under the influence of a mesmerist. Even now he had mixed feelings, one part still wanted to avoid the mask, but another part wanted to redeem himself in his own eyes, if not others, as the rest of the town seemed convinced that they'd been the victims of an imposter.

Sighing as he entered the cave, Diego looked at the crying gas bombs he'd constructed more as an interesting experiment than with any idea of needing them. Perhaps, he'd never need them except for bandits. Why must De Soto always be so impetuous? He seemed to think hasty decisions were a sign of strong leadership, rather than an inability to look beyond the obvious.

Yes, there was circumstantial evidence against José, but that didn't mean he was guilty. A wise leader would be certain of all the facts, and from what Mendoza had indicated De Soto couldn't even be bothered to check to see if either of the Valverdes were actually dead rather than wounded. If it hadn't been for Mendoza, Doña Maria _would _have died. And knowing De Soto, he would right now be planning to hang José for the crime without even waiting to see if Doña Maria awoke. He would have to do something to try to slow De Soto down.

~Z~Z~Z~

It was early evening when Zorro returned to the cave. Diego pulled off the mask in frustration. He wondered why he ever bothered. He seemed as incapable of learning from his mistakes as De Soto. Why would he think that De Soto would listen to a reasoned argument from Zorro? Force, yes. Reason never worked. In fact, all he seemed to do besides get into a fight in De Soto's office was convince De Soto that he was right. He felt a little sick at the thought that it was his appearance as Zorro that had made De Soto determine on a Friday execution.

Maybe it was time to try something else, though at the moment he wasn't sure what. He made his way upstairs and went to check on Doña Maria. She was still unconscious but otherwise stable. Diego wished that Dr. Hernandez would get back from the Indian settlement, as he hoped that the older man would have a better idea of what else to do. Luisa said she hadn't stirred but that the moment that she did, she or Maria would make sure to get a message to him or Don Alejandro.

He was glad that his father had gone to town this afternoon, since he wanted to talk with him about what happened but since Diego hadn't gone to town, he would be hard pressed to explain how he'd found out about Zorro's visit. Also, he hoped his father would have better news about De Soto's behavior.

Unfortunately, Alejandro had nothing good to tell him when he returned to the _hacienda_. Diego had been right. His appearance as Zorro had made De Soto more rather than less stubborn.

"I'm afraid De Soto is determined to hang José on Friday, regardless of his guilt or innocence, Diego."

"There must be some way to stop him or at least delay him until Doña Maria has recovered enough to say what happened," Diego said, almost to himself. Well, Zorro could ride in as usual, but it was an unsatisfactory solution.

"I don't know, son. I'm trying to get the _caballeros_ to protest, but you know how difficult it is to get any unified action."

"I'm afraid so," Diego muttered.

It was frustrating. Zorro's anonymity allowed him to operate without fear of consequence, and with rare exceptions, the people seemed content to let Zorro carry the burden of action rather than draw attention to themselves. He felt trapped. If only there were some way to get the people to band together more often. This might do it, as the only person who seemed to believe José was guilty was De Soto, but he wasn't sure how or if he could motivate anyone to take a stand. He hoped the next day would look brighter than this one.

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego awoke in the morning feeling more than ever that his visit to De Soto as Zorro was a mistake. Maybe if he talked to the _alcalde_ as himself, encouraging him to have a proper trial, that would slow things down enough that the truth would come out. He was angry that he hadn't thought of this before he'd gone as Zorro. How was he ever going to manage to find a way to retire Zorro, if even _he _defaulted to letting Zorro try to handle things?

He rode into town, trying to figure out the best way to approach the _alcalde_. Polite and deferential seemed to be the way to go. Taking a deep breath and praying for patience, Diego entered the _alcalde's_ office.

Two minutes later, he was hard-pressed to keep calm, and patience was hanging by a thread.

"What do you mean there's not going to be a trial?"

"The man is guilty. I know it, but all the soft-hearted fools in the _pueblo_ seem convinced he's innocent. I don't intend to see a murderer go free or give that villain Zorro another chance to thwart justice. I have the authority, and I intend to let the world see that justice is swift in Los Angeles."

"But, _alcalde_, surely it would be wise to wait until Doña Maria is able to say what happened. You wouldn't want to make a mistake."

"I am not mistaken, and all Señora Valverde will do is confirm what I already know. I will not wait. Rivas will hang tomorrow."

"But..."

"Diego, you don't understand how the world works. Go back to your books or Señorita Escalante. That's about the most you can be expected to handle at once."

It took all Diego could manage to not snap at De Soto. Concentrating on being mild, he managed to say, "I hope you don't find reason to regret your hasty decision."

"I assure you, I won't."

Knowing it was futile, Diego made a polite bow and turned and headed out the door crossing the plaza. When Diego entered the tavern, he immediately met Mendoza who told him all about Zorro's visit to De Soto, and De Soto's consequential determination to hang José, even though De Soto had made it clear enough. However, it was Victoria who told him that Mendoza was supposed to personally perform the hanging.

Mendoza was miserable about it. "I would give a week's pay if I could make Friday disappear— if the good Lord would just take it right out of the calendar."

"Maybe he will, Sergeant," Diego said, knowing even as he said it how ridiculous it sounded, yet even as he finished speaking a truly insane idea seemed to blossom in his mind. "Maybe we will." It was mad— crazier than anything else he'd carried out as himself— especially since he'd need a lot of cooperation from the citizens of Los Angeles in general and Mendoza in particular because if Mendoza went along the rest of the lancers would at least keep quiet. However, if it worked, it could be a step towards the elimination of the need for Zorro.

"What do you mean, Diego?" Victoria asked.

"Well, we know the _alcalde_ isn't going to back down in time for us to prove José's innocence, so what if we make him think everything has already happened?"

"I don't understand, Don Diego," Mendoza said.

"Well, if we could somehow convince him that a week has passed and José has already been hanged, then we'd have the time we'd need to find the evidence to clear him."

Victoria was staring at him as if she thought he was crazy. Maybe he was. It sounded madder as he spoke, but somehow the compulsion had grown stronger.

"But how would we do that?" Mendoza asked.

"I have a drug that should make the _alcalde_ sleep for twenty-four hours. We could set the stage to make it look like he's been unconscious for a week with a fever. With enough cooperation we could hopefully keep him convinced long enough for us to prove José innocence."

"But what happens afterwards?" Victoria asked. "Won't he be furious once he knows he's been tricked? Wouldn't it better to just keep him unconscious until we've got our evidence?"

Diego had considered both those possibilities. "It would be too difficult and dangerous to keep him unconscious indefinitely. Much better to try to keep him off balance long enough for the truth to come out. And as for him becoming angry at the deception, he might well be, but I think his finding out he was wrong about José would be enough of a blow that he'd be more interested in redeeming that failure."

"And if he's not?" Victoria asked.

Diego hoped it wouldn't come to that, but there was a contingency, perhaps more desperate than the current plan. "We drug him again and hope we can convince him that everything he thought happened was a fever-induced hallucination and that Mendoza held off the execution until he had recovered, which would of course prove fortunate for him since he wouldn't be responsible for the death of an innocent man," Diego said, with a confidence he didn't entirely feel. However, he had to convince Mendoza that this was workable because without Mendoza's cooperation none of this could be carried out.

Mendoza still looked doubtful. "This sounds _loco_."

"Do you have a better idea, Sergeant?" Diego asked. He'd love for someone— anyone— to come up with a better idea. "Some way to save José that has a better chance than this?"

Shaking his head, Mendoza said, "No, the _alcalde's_ too determined. But, Don Diego, how are we supposed to drug him?"

Diego knew this was going to be the tough bit. "I'm afraid we're going to have to count on you to do that."

Mendoza gulped. "_Madre de Dios_. If he catches me at it, he'll kill me."

"It's either that or hang an innocent man," Diego said. "It's all up to you."

After a long moment, Mendoza finally said, "All right, I'll do it."

"Good," Diego replied. "Now, I'm going home to check on Doña Maria and get the drug. I'll be back before lunch time."

"We're doing it so soon?" Mendoza asked.

"It's better not to wait," Diego said. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He turned to Victoria and pulled her to one side in order to talk with her privately a moment. "I'm going to hurry, but do your best to keep the good Sergeant from worrying too much. The beginning's going to be the tricky part, especially since I have no idea how many people will be willing to help."

"Don't worry. I'll do my part, my love. But definitely hurry," she said with an encouraging smile.

Kissing her hand, Diego hurried out the door to ride back to the _hacienda_. He hoped that Doña Maria might have regained consciousness so that there would be no reason to go through with his mad idea which was starting to worry him in its complexity. Unfortunately, she was still unconscious. Diego slipped down to the cave to retrieve the drug he needed. He'd just returned to the library, when his father walked in. Diego lost no time explaining the plan.

"That seems awfully complicated, Diego," Alejandro said. "And you're going to need a lot of cooperation. Have you considered what will happen if it doesn't work?"

"Well, I'm hoping the very fact that it is so crazy will protect us. De Soto wouldn't be able to report what happened without sounding mad himself, nor would he do himself much good by saying that the entire _pueblo_ under his charge rebelled against him."

"You have a point, but how many will help us?"

"I don't know, but aside from the help setting the scene and getting the lancers' cooperation which will be more Mendoza's doing, all that we'll really be asking from others is that they either say nothing or stay out of the way..."

"Which is what they mostly do anyway," Alejandro finished. "All right. I'll make sure to send some of the _vaqueros_ to help you with whatever you need. I'll also makes sure I have someone ready to deliver any message the moment that Doña Maria is conscious and able to talk."

"Thank you, Father," Diego said. "I've got to get back now. Everything is going to hinge on Mendoza having enough courage to go through with this."

"Then heaven help us all, son," Alejandro said, shaking his head, then smiling slightly to soften his words. "No, never mind. Go tilt at your windmill and hope it doesn't actually turn into a giant."

Diego sighed as he rode back to town. He could understand his father's doubt; this was going to be more challenging than his convincing the Emissary he was turning into an Indian. But he had managed to convince De Soto he was shrinking, surely this was more believable than that. It just required more accomplices than before. And that's where the doubts lay. Would the people get behind this plan? Or at least agree to stay out of the way?

~Z~Z~Z~

The next day Diego was standing in the tavern nervously awaiting the return of Mendoza from the _alcalde's_ office, hoping that De Soto would believe the ruse. He had been absolutely astounded by how many people had agreed to help. They never could have gotten everything done in time without the large number of volunteers. But now it all relied on one man— one frightened man.

When Mendoza came hurrying up to the bar, Victoria was the first to speak. "Well, Sergeant?"

Trying to catch his breath, Mendoza looked around. "I think..." he said excitedly, "I think... he believed it."

The entire tavern cheered the news. Diego let out his own breath, relieved that their mad gamble seemed to have paid off.

Unfortunately, that relief was short lived. Only a few minutes after Mendoza's welcome news, De Soto came in, and it was clear he'd tumbled to it. All because of a carafe of wine— that Zorro had knocked over in the fight— the still damp stain of which Diego had passed a number of times as they'd set up the office. He should have noticed, even as he was shocked at De Soto's perception.

As a frightened Mendoza followed the _alcalde_ out of the tavern, Diego tried to get past his frustration and think. Slipping into the kitchen followed by Victoria and Felipe, he told them, "I'm going back to the _hacienda_ to check on Doña Maria. I have a bad feeling that it won't be too long before De Soto is going to insist on hanging someone. Since it was my plan, I want to make it harder for him to find me, but Mendoza is the most visible accomplice in the plan, and I can't let anything happen to him."

Victoria made a small Z between them.

"Yes, I'm afraid he's going to have to intervene," Diego said. "Both of you please keep an eye out, but be careful."

"We will," Victoria said, "but..." She stopped and simply leaned forward to embrace him before returning to the main room of the tavern.

Diego looked after her for a moment before turning to Felipe. "You know what to look for. If Doña Maria still can't speak, I don't think I'll be at the _hacienda_ for long."

Felipe nodded his head, and Diego slipped out the back door of the tavern. He had at least thought to leave Esperanza behind the tavern. He hurried home with all speed. Luisa was still sitting by Doña Maria's bedside.

"Oh, Don Diego," she said. "Doña Maria's been stirring, muttering in her sleep, but nothing I can understand."

"That's all right, Luisa," Diego said. "Why don't you take a break for a little bit? I can't stay long, but a few minutes at least."

"_Gracias_," she said. "I could use a few minutes." She hurried from the room.

Diego checked Doña Maria's bandages. They seemed fine though they would need changing soon. She stirred restlessly, muttering words under her breath. Diego leaned forward to try to hear her.

"No... Tomás... don't..." her voice was barely understandable.

"Tomás?" Diego asked. "Tomás who?"

She shook her head, eyes still closed, but eventually Diego heard one word murmured, "Porras."

Tomás Porras. Diego knew he was another of Don Sebastian's tenants. This one with a reputation for gambling and a nasty temper. Someone far more likely to resort to violence than José Rivas. But there was no way he could take this to De Soto at the moment; he wouldn't believe in the words of a woman still mostly unaware. He also couldn't afford to wait here for her to fully regain consciousness. He knew De Soto was bound to want to make an example of somebody, and he was afraid Mendoza was the one who was going to suffer.

He told Luisa that he was going to go look more closely at the site where the Valverdes had been attacked, before slipping down to the cave. That site would bear closer examination but not now. Changing swiftly, he tacked Toronado before loading several of his crying gas bombs. This wasn't the best time to subject them to a full test, but he did know they worked.

Riding for Los Angeles, Zorro could see the crowd and recognized Mendoza standing on the scaffold. He apparently was in the nick of time, though with the special design of the scaffold he had some small leeway.

He could hear voices shouting his name as he approached, and De Soto shouted for Sepulveda to pull the lever. To his credit, the corporal was very slow to respond, not that it would do much good to pull it as Zorro knew very well, as he tossed one of his crying gas bombs at the largest group of lancers.

Realizing that Sepulveda was not going to pull the lever, De Soto grabbed it himself but found it wouldn't budge. Zorro threw a blade to cut through the rope above Mendoza's head, not willing to risk the sergeant's life on the trap door holding out. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Victoria, Felipe, and his father turn over a produce cart to knock down a pair of lancers.

Hoping that Mendoza would have the good sense to grab the one solid pole, Zorro used his whip to grab onto the weak point of the gallows and pulled hard. Mendoza grabbed the pole as the other men on the platform fell to the ground.

Calling out to Mendoza, Zorro helped him onto Toronado's back before riding over to where his father and Victoria were standing.

"Avoid the white smoke. It's a mild form of crying gas," he said. "And I hate to be the cause of tears in the innocent." He was rewarded by the barest hint of a smile from Victoria. The one thing he missed most was the ability to flirt with her as Zorro, but the other compensations more than made up for the loss.

He turned Toronado to ride where De Soto was still sitting on the ground. "The wheels of justice move slowly for a reason," he said, unsheathing his saber. "They're not meant to run over innocent people." He slashed a _Z_ into De Soto's vest. "Call it a reminder to think twice before you rush to judgement." He sheathed his sword, and headed out of the plaza, Mendoza clinging to him, De Soto shouting after them.

Zorro rode straight until they were out of sight of the _pueblo_ before veering off to take an indirect route to the place where Alejandro had sent José to hide, which by coincidence was the same barn that he'd taken the jewel thief Montez to hide two years earlier. Mendoza should be safe enough there until Doña Maria regained consciousness and could tell her story. In the mean time, once Mendoza was safely stowed, he could go track the genuine criminal.

As he rode along at an easy pace to make it easier on Toronado and Mendoza, he was surprised when Mendoza spoke to him. "Zorro, there's a question I've been wanting to ask you."

"A question, Sergeant?"he asked.

"Yes, well, it's something that's been bothering me for a while, and if I don't ask now I'll probably never get the chance."

Hoping that Mendoza wasn't going to do something as crazy as ask him who he was, Zorro said, "Ask your question, but I don't promise to answer."

"Fair enough," Mendoza said, but then he hesitated. "It's just up until... what happened at... Devil's Fortress... it seemed like you and Señorita Escalante... everyone thought you two were in love..." he went silent for a moment. "And then once she returned with Don Diego... suddenly you two weren't..."

Finally realizing what the sergeant was referring to, it took Zorro a moment to understand why Mendoza dated everything to the trip to Devil's Fortress— that trip had occurred barely a week after Victoria had figured out his secret. He wasn't sure, however, what exactly Mendoza wanted to know, but he would venture an explanation and hope for the best. "Are you asking if I mind that she's engaged to another man, Sergeant? I don't. Señorita Escalante is a beautiful woman, but a man with a price on his head isn't exactly in a position to marry. I knew that, but I hadn't thought too seriously about the subject," Zorro said, before taking a breath and hoping his next statement, a partial truth, would get by. "But then I met Don Diego on the road to Devil's Fortress and realized that he was in love with her too."

"Oh, _sí_, I knew that."

Zorro had to work not to show surprise at that statement. "You knew?" he asked, amazed that it came out evenly.

"Well, guessed," Mendoza said after a pause. "He's always been very protective of the señorita. One time he almost got killed in a duel defending her honor, and since he's such a peaceful man, I never thought he'd do something like that if he didn't love her."

"Oh," Zorro said, flatly. "Well, I'm afraid I didn't know until then, Sergeant, and then on the way back, I began to suspect that Señorita Escalante had strong feelings for Don Diego, and since he could offer her what I couldn't I decided to step aside. I wish them both the best, Sergeant."

"Good," Mendoza said. "I was afraid..."

"No, Sergeant. I'm happier being a free man," he said, hoping he sounded sincere and that it wasn't obvious that he simply referring to not being captured. "Now we're almost to where José is hiding. I'm going to leave you with him and see if I can't find the trail of the real killer."

~Z~Z~Z~

Tomás Porras was an easy man to track. So easy that Zorro couldn't help but think that he should have spent his time on this rather than the backfiring attempt to convince De Soto to be sensible. He had a hard time controlling the anger he was feeling at the entire situation.

Porras hadn't managed to get far. When Zorro found him, he was lying near the front of a cave near the burnt out remains of a campfire, so drunk he could barely even find his gun much less aim it before Zorro had him by the collar.

"I've been looking for you," Zorro said, trying to get the man to focus. While he was sure the man was the culprit, he wanted to go on more than a murmured name and a clear trail. He was not De Soto. "You shouldn't have done what you did."

The drunken man shook his head and tried pulling away. "I didn't mean to..." he babbled, too drunk to control his tongue. "Don Sebastian... should have... given me... the money. Doña Maria... shouldn't have... gotten in the way."

Disgusted, Zorro knocked the man out and draped him over his own horse before slicing a _Z_ into his trousers. Leading him away, Zorro headed back in the general direction of the cave but tied off the man's horse in a grove well out of sight of the entrance before hurrying to the cave, where he was relieved to see Felipe there waiting for him.

He changed as Felipe told him that Doña Maria was awake and wanting to go to the _pueblo_, that she knew who had killed her husband and tried to kill her.

Interrupting him, Diego said, "I know. Zorro's found him. I've got him tied up in that grove of trees. You know the one." Felipe nodded. "I'll try to get back and ride to town with my father. I'll need you to lead the horse towards the town. If any one sees you, tell them you found it, but otherwise only get close enough to send the horse to town on its own."

Nodding, Felipe headed out the back of the cave, while Diego went to look through the viewing hole. The library was clear, and he slipped into it quickly and quietly before heading for the front door and looking out. No one in the courtyard, though he saw the carriage waiting. Diego turned back when he saw his father turn the corner.

Apparently assuming that Diego had just come inside, Alejandro didn't waste a moment. "Oh, good, son. I'm glad you're here. Doña Maria is awake and remembers what happened. She's insisting on going to town to speak with the _alcalde_; Luisa's helping her get dressed. She shouldn't walk too much yet, so I'll need your help getting her to the carriage. I've also sent someone to get José. Best we get everything cleared up at once, so De Soto has no room to do anything but accept the truth; that should save both José and Mendoza, wherever Zorro took him."

"A good idea, Father," Diego said, relieved at the thought of everything getting tied up at once. The one consolation was that De Soto, unlike Ramone, was unlikely to persist in the face of Señora Valverde's direct testimony. Soon this whole mess should be over.

~Z~Z~Z~

There was a celebratory air in the tavern that evening. Tomás Porras was in jail, snoring off his drunkenness. José was free, and Mendoza reinstated. Doña Maria had insisted on returning to her home where she was being looked after by her own servants and Dr. Hernandez who had returned from the Indian settlement.

De Soto showing a rare wisdom or perhaps to avoid further humiliation was staying in his rooms, ostensibly to make sure nothing happened to his prisoner, so the people could celebrate with some relief. And the people did. Diego tried very hard to appear cheerful though an anger that he couldn't entirely explain simmered under the surface.

He spent some time watching Victoria as she bustled about the very busy tavern, apparently to his father's amusement, though Alejandro gently teased him about not paying attention to anything else. Diego had offered to help Victoria earlier, but she was adamant that he sit and relax as he'd had a very busy night and day. Mendoza and José were both focal points of attention, and Mendoza was getting a great deal of enjoyment moving from group to group telling the story of his daring escape with Zorro.

When Mendoza stopped at the table for a moment, Diego had to add his congratulations. "You really were the hero of the day," Diego said, sincerely. "Your bravery was remarkable."

"Well, it was your plan..." Mendoza said, apparently wanting to be fair.

"That almost got you hanged," Diego broke in. "No, Sergeant, it was your bravery and belief in José that made any of this possible. You deserve all the glory." Diego meant every word. He had been amazed and humbled by the bravery and loyalty Mendoza had shown not just to him but everyone by claiming to have masterminded the entire plot all by himself, taking all of the blame, facing all of the consequences. Diego wasn't sure he'd ever be able to repay the debt.

"_Gracias,_ Don Diego," Mendoza said, as he moved on.

Alejandro looked at Diego and then spoke to him quietly. "You know, Mendoza's right. If you hadn't come up with a plan to delay José's hanging, he wouldn't be here tonight. You're the one who got everyone working together for a common goal. It may not have gone to plan, but what you accomplished was remarkable. I'm proud of you, son."

Pleased by his father's compliment but tired and still angry about all that had gone wrong, about almost getting Mendoza killed, Diego couldn't keep sitting still, so he smiled pleasantly and thanked his father while still disclaiming any real merit and then excused himself from the table, heading in the general direction of Victoria before slipping through the curtains to the kitchen and then out the back door. He sat on a bench near the tavern wall and stared up at the stars in the sky. The clear night sky. He couldn't help but think that rain would have helped their cause. Not that it mattered now. Why was he so angry when everything was fine?

He barely noticed when Victoria sat beside him until she took her hand in his. Then he glanced down at her, barely able to make out her features in the dim light.

"How did you know I was here?" he asked.

He could just make out her smile as she squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I knew you wouldn't leave without saying good night, but you've been looking distinctly uncomfortable all evening, so when you disappeared, it was easy to guess where you'd gone."

Leaning forward to kiss her forehead, he said, "I'm engaged to a distressingly perceptive woman."

"Not perceptive enough to know what's bothering you unless you tell me," she replied. "Was it something your father said?"

"No," Diego said. "Well, not in an expected way. He was praising my contribution to José's survival."

"And that bothers you?" she asked.

He knew it shouldn't, yet it did. "I can't help but think of everything that went wrong."

"But more went right," Victoria said.

"I know, but for some reason I'm still angry," he said.

Victoria looked at him, leaning close to better see in the dim light. "About what?" she asked softly.

"I'm not sure entirely," Diego said, but decided to try to figure it out rather than bury it. "I know I'm angry that we have an _alcalde_ who would rather hang an innocent man than serve justice; that Zorro hasn't learned it's pointless to try to reason with an unreasonable man; that I missed such an obvious clue as a wet wine stain; that the lancers and citizens who went along with Mendoza on the plan stood by as De Soto was going to hang him..." He paused for a moment then spoke more quietly. "I know he's got the authority of the government behind him, yet somehow I'm still angry that one man has the power to cow the people."

"Well, we have another man capable of rescuing the people," Victoria said.

"And how long is he going to have to do that?" Diego asked, rhetorically. He looked back up into the night sky. "How long before he makes a fatal mistake?"

Victoria wrapped her arms around him. "Don't think about that. Even with all that went wrong, today was a good day."

"Yes, but..."

"Everyone fought for justice," Victoria placed a finger against his lips, "and they did it because of you. Maybe they weren't all as brave or as strong as you would hope, but you inspire them, and it is a start."

Diego hung his head thoughtfully. "Maybe you're right. Maybe... maybe I need to have more faith."

"_Si_, as I do."

"You really believe in the people of this _pueblo_, don't you?"

Victoria smiled gently and took Diego's face in hands. "Almost as much as I believe in you."

The End

**Next Up:** "Test of Faith." Another post episode story.

**End Notes:** This story was an odd one for me. Since I wasn't really changing any of the events of the story, normally I'd have started at the end or near it, but Diego's crazy plan always bothered me. It seemed a bit extreme even for him, so I felt a compelling need to try to find an explanation for why he'd come up with such a strange plan. I'm not sure how well I succeeded.

I also know that Diego is generally more optimistic than this, but he does have a temper, and he has had times of doubt, uncertainty, and frustration, so I hope that he doesn't come off as out of character. In the series, it seemed that it was Felipe who got to see this side of Diego most often, but now Victoria gets to see it as well.

As always, I am very grateful for all the feedback I receive, especially all the nice comments on my "Wicked, Wicked Zorro" story. At the moment, _Love has No Rhyme and No Reason_ is my most viewed and is tied for being my second most reviewed, which makes me quite happy. Thank you all.


	13. After Test of Faith

**Disclaimer:** I am merely playing with the characters. I certainly have no claim on anything but my own ideas.

**Summary:** Sometimes, a man has to point out the obvious.

**Author's Notes:** I was going to skip this episode for two reasons. One, because Victoria wasn't in it, and two, because I find it to be a dull mess. However, though I can't remember who (though I think it might have been pamz), someone somewhere mentioned the whole blood purity plot line that got dropped and not picked up again, and I thought I could do something with that. So here's another post episode story, dealing a very little with that plot thread. Also Victoria and Diego indulge in some canoodling and some conversation, which I only mention because of an irresistible urge to use the word canoodle in a sentence, and it just wouldn't work in the story.

And this is a story that couldn't have been finished without the magic touch of Ghetto Outlaw. He's got a great gift for gentle criticism and knowing the right suggestions and improvements to make, especially when I feel like I've lost my way (as I did with this story), but since he's only helping with what I've written and since, unfortunately, he is unable to turn lead to gold, all the weaknesses are still my own.

**It's All Relative**

**(After Test of Faith)**

Although the wound in his leg was still miraculously not bothering him, Diego carefully cleaned and wrapped it before getting dressed, as he didn't want to take the chance of infection or reopening the wound while he was around De Soto this morning. It would be far too difficult to explain how he'd been cut in the same leg as Zorro. He was going to need all his wits about him to deal with the primary issue, and he didn't need to be side tracked.

Riding in to town, Diego made his first stop the tavern, not only because he wanted to see Victoria but also he expected that Mendoza would probably still be there finishing up breakfast, and there were a couple of things he needed to find out from the good sergeant before approaching De Soto. He was very pleased to see that he was correct. Mendoza was still eating breakfast, which gave him time to talk to Victoria first.

"Good morning, Victoria," he said, kissing her hand. "You look particularly lovely today."

She smiled at him. "_Gracias_, Diego. You seem to be in a charming mood today. What brings you to town so early?" she asked.

"Two reasons," he said. "The first is to see you, and ask if you would be willing to go riding with me after I take care of the second reason I'm in town. It's a beautiful day, not too cold."

"I would love to go riding with you, Diego," she said, "it seems as if I've hardly seen you recently. However, what's your other reason for being in town?"

"I need to speak with our alcalde about something," Diego said softly. "You know, he came out to the hacienda yesterday for reasons that he never got around to explaining since he was distracted by our unusual visitor."

"Yes, I heard all about that. A foreigner of some kind that De Soto claimed was a spy. I understand Zorro helped him get away," Victoria said evenly.

"So it seems," Diego replied as if he had no knowledge of it. "However, I can't simply hope that De Soto has let go whatever peculiar idea about my great, great, great grandmother being French has given him, though I have a vague suspicion what was on his mind. I do need to ask Mendoza a couple of questions before talking to De Soto to make sure I'm on the right track."

Victoria looked worried. "There won't be anything dangerous, will there?"

"There shouldn't be, Victoria. If this is what I think it is, it's a job for a scholarly man— and a de la Vega," Diego said with a slight grin. "It shouldn't take long, and then we can go riding."

"I could pack us some lunch," Victoria said.

"That would be wonderful," Diego said. "We don't have nearly enough time together."

"I'll get started then, since the sooner you take care of your other business, the sooner we can leave," Victoria said.

Facing away from the rest of the room, Diego, with a longing look in his eyes, turned her hand over to place a soft kiss on her palm, making her blush. Then composing his expression, he turned and crossed the room to Sergeant Mendoza.

"_Hola_, Don Diego," Mendoza said as Diego sat across from him.

"You look glum this morning, Sergeant," Diego replied.

"Well, the alcalde is in a bad mood because that stranger, Hir... Hir..." Mendoza stumbled over the name.

"Hiroshi?" Diego prompted.

"Yeah, him," Mendoza said. "The alcalde is cranky because Zorro rescued him, and he's upset with the men for not catching them, even though we never do. And when they described how the stranger fought..." Mendoza shrugged. "They're all doing foot patrols today; I'm just glad I wasn't with them."

"I'm glad as well, Sergeant, as there is something I need to ask you."

"What is it, Don Diego?"

"Yesterday, before the business with Hiroshi came up, the alcalde was asking my father about a French great, great grandmother. Do you know what it was he was really after?"

Mendoza shook his head. "I think he's looking for a way to get more money for Spain to fight wars."

"And what has that to do with my family tree?" Diego asked.

"I don't know but I think he's looking for an excuse to confiscate land. He was talking about bloodlines and land grants being only for those of pure Spanish heritage. It doesn't really makes sense since most of the families have been here for a long time. I'm just hoping he forgets about it before Zorro figures out what he's got on his mind."

"Chances are he might find himself in more serious trouble than that," Diego said mildly. "Now, I've got to go over and talk to the man himself."

"Be careful," Mendoza said. "He's liable to get more angry. He wasn't very happy with you either."

"Oh, I'll be very diplomatic, Sergeant," Diego said. "But I absolutely must speak to him this morning."

"Good luck then," Mendoza said.

"Thank you, Sergeant," Diego replied, hoping he wasn't going to need it.

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego took a moment to collect his thoughts before entering the alcalde's office. He would have to do this carefully, or he'd just make the man more stubborn, as he knew, to his frustration. But De Soto was an ambitious man with a chip on his shoulders, and Diego had a good idea of just what buttons he needed to push.

While Diego had been born into a privileged class, he had never felt he was superior because of it, only that he had more responsibilities to help those with less resources or protection than he himself had been blessed with. He wasn't unaware of the general reputed arrogance of aristocracy, but it had no place out here in California where people no matter what their class needed to be able depend on each other. However, Diego thought that today was a day to put on a bit of the confidence of a man who was connected by blood to Spanish nobility, different from the arrogance he tended to put on as Zorro. But he'd have to play it carefully to keep himself from seeming too different from the harmless scholar he usually pretended to be.

"_Buenos días_, alcalde," he said mildly after he entered the room.

De Soto looked up from his desk. Diego noticed that he had genealogical texts open in front of him on the desk. It looked like the alcalde hadn't given up his idea.

"Diego, if you're here about that little heathen devil..." De Soto said impatiently.

"No, alcalde, I've already heard what happened," he said, forcing himself not to show the contempt he felt at De Soto's bigotry. It was yet another of the vices that made De Soto a bad leader, especially in California where intermarriage was not uncommon and in fact had been encouraged by Spain. It seemed as if the man were incapable of understanding the differences between the old world and the new. He still had to wonder why De Soto would voluntarily go to a place he had so much contempt for. He must have been feeling a bit desperate for advancement, and Diego was sure he could work on that now.

"Yes, that pestilential Zorro helped the little spy escape. Who knows where he's gone?" De Soto shrugged as a sign of indifference at being bested again.

"Well, you can take comfort that you did all you could," Diego said trying to keep his voice mild before launching into what he wanted to deal with. "I've come on another matter, one I think you'll find very important." This is the part that would require great care.

"And what could you say that I'd find important?" De Soto asked.

Diego with an air of mild concern sat down in a chair and said, "I've come to tell you that I believe you may be the victim of a plot."

"A plot?" De Soto asked skeptically but with obvious interest. "What kind of plot?"

Leaning forward to look at the books on the desk, Diego said, "I believe that someone, possibly someone attached to the governor's office, is trying to get you replaced."

"Replaced? What do you mean?" De Soto demanded, and Diego knew he had him hooked.

"I'm sure you know our previous alcalde came from Mexico," Diego said. "And I'm also sure it won't surprise you to hear that there are those who felt that his replacement should have come from Alta California rather than Madrid. I believe your appointment caused definite disappointment in some prominent families. You know how it can be with families with too many younger sons."

"It was the king's choice," De Soto said but not with as much confidence as he apparently trying to convey.

"Indeed, but as you've pointed out, we're eight thousand miles from Madrid, and I believe that it's possible that one of the passed over local candidates is trying to prove you...," Diego paused a moment before adding in a flat, matter-of-fact tone, "unfit for the job."

De Soto's fingers started drumming nervously on his desk though he was clearly trying to appear to be taking only a condescending interest. "Diego, you're hardly ever out of your books. How could you possibly know about a plot?"

"Well, I do correspond with quite a few people, alcalde," Diego replied with a determined mildness, "and that along with something I heard makes me think that you might be headed with some trouble with the governor."

"And what is that?" De Soto asked impatiently.

Diego put his hands on one of the books on the desk. "I understand that you've been researching the local families to determine if they fulfill the requirements for the land grants. And that somehow my French great-great-great grandmother fits into that."

"Yes," De Soto said, a dark gleam in his eye. "Spain needs money to finance its wars in Europe, and it's my task to find more. The original colonial land grants were given to those only of Spanish heritage. Therefore only those of pure Spanish blood deserve the rights of full citizenship."

"And that's the trap, alcalde." Diego rose, crossed to the adjacent window and looked out at nothing in particular. He was at the dangerous point in the conversation, and he had to be careful. "I don't know who suggested that to you, but they certainly did not mean to do you or your career any good," Diego said evenly, though he was sure that the notion had been De Soto's own, prompted solely by a desire to ingratiate himself with Spanish authorities by increasing the king's revenue. "As you've pointed out, I do spend a lot of time with my books, and not simply on matters of art and science. I have also done a lot of reading concerning my family's holdings and responsibilities. While as you have pointed out the original grants were for those of Spanish heritage, nothing was said of them being _pure _Spanish blood. With your experience in Madrid you should have at least a rudimentary understanding of how aristocratic alliances are made."

Diego turned back to look at De Soto. "You see, when it comes to nobility, national lines don't matter nearly so much as blood lines. The king may be in need of money but I don't think he would be pleased to have a kinsman dispossessed because of ignorance. Or have it known that _his_ land grants are considered to easily dispensable."

Step-by-step, Diego had been inching his way closer to where De Soto sat until now he was nearly standing over him. For all his obstinance and arrogance, Diego had never thought De Soto a complete fool and to be certain, he could see in the man's eyes that he was beginning to think on what was being said to him.

"There are many powerful families in California whose blood would not be considered purely Spanish and who would call into question any man who'd be presumptuous enough to cast doubt on the legitimacy of their position." Diego leaned down ever so slightly. "And that man might find his own background called into question, especially a man who's pulled himself up through the ranks, without _any _form of noble patronage. Some might even look on that as the perfect excuse to remove him, showing him to be ignorant of both Californian customs and those of the privileged classes. Add that in with any other possible irregularities they might find..."

"What irregularities?" De Soto demanded.

"I really couldn't say," Diego said innocently, knowing it was much better to let De Soto's guilty conscience do the work here. "I do know that Los Angeles has been given the right to elect an alcalde separate from the military commandant, something we haven't done in a long time, but the governor might insist on that if he perceives the governance of the pueblo to be lacking."

"I see," De Soto said, trying to look completely unworried and failing. "I thank you for your concern, but I don't think you need worry." He looked at the books. "I was simply familiarizing myself with the local families in order to better perform my duties."

"Of course, alcalde," Diego said, managing with great effort not to smile at his obvious excuse. "I don't know why I thought any different. I'm glad to see you've got everything in hand. I am confident that a man of your character will act in exactly the manner to be expected of him."

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego and Victoria were well out of town before she asked the question that had obviously been bothering her. "So did you accomplish what you wanted in the alcalde's office?"

"I believe so," he replied, hoping he'd planted a seed that would take root. De Soto's behavior might improve if he felt that there was someone closer at hand who could hurt his career in a more serious way than Zorro. "I did my best to convince him that any attempt to try to confiscate lands on the basis of blood purity would be liable to get him in more trouble with the governor and the king than he'd get any benefits from it."

"Is that true?" Victoria inquired. "Is that a way to get rid of him?"

"I wish I could be sure," Diego said. "It should be; what he was thinking _would_ get some very powerful Californians angry with him. But on the other hand, if someone could find profit in it, he could as easily get away with it. Los Angeles is a very small pueblo after all. And as we already know to our sorrow, there's no guarantee that the next man would be any better, and in fact, he could be a whole lot worse. De Soto still has _some _traces of conscience."

"In other words, better the devil we know," Victoria replied.

"Unfortunately, yes," he said. The most frustrating part about De Soto is that there were times when there were flashes of the leader he could be, but they were too few to make up for the actual failures, including that ambition that caused him to ride roughshod over justice and occasionally common sense.

"Where are we heading to?" Victoria asked as she looked around.

"Not to the place we had our last picnic," Diego said. "I'm in no mood to be interrupted by our alcalde again, not that I expect it." He glanced at her. "It's not too far from the cave, in case the weather turns cold. It's a pleasant, quiet spot, and I would like to spend some uninterrupted time with you."

"I thought your father wanted more supervision," she said.

"Yes, but the worst he would do is move our wedding forward, and I have no objection to that," Diego replied with a wicked grin. "But don't worry, I intend to behave."

"Are you so sure _I _intend to?" Victoria teased him, causing him to blush for once.

It was only a few minutes longer before they reached the spot Diego had been heading for, a small grove of trees near a small spring. Leaves still clung to the branches even at this time of year, though there was a light layer of them which crunched as Victoria spread the blanket Diego had brought on the ground beneath the largest tree. Diego carried over the food Victoria had packed for them and set it at one corner of the blanket.

Victoria smiled at him as she sat down on the blanket. He sat next to her, a little carefully to be sure not to aggravate his leg injury, glad that she didn't seem to notice. He didn't want her worrying over something so minor.

Taking her hand in his, Diego ran his thumb over the back as he looked at the ring on her finger. Normally, she kept it locked up during the day, since she didn't want to risk damage to it while she was working in the tavern. In fact to make it easier for her to protect the ring and any other small valuables, he'd managed to install two hidden compartments, one in her pantry and one in her room. However, while he understood her reasoning and approved, he was selfish enough to want to give her something she could wear all the time as a symbol of his affection.

"What is it, Diego?" Victoria asked. "You're looking rather serious. Is it something else about De Soto?"

He looked up in surprise. "Oh, no, I was thinking about something else. Actually, something I have for you."

Victoria smiled, "For me?"

"Yes, I was going to wait until Christmas, but I don't want to wait any longer."

"It's not like you to be impatient. What is it?"

"Close your eyes, querida," Diego said. "_Por favor_."

"All right," she said, complying with his request.

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small thin box and placed it in her hands.

"Open your eyes," he said.

Victoria did so and looked down at the box. Opening it, she saw a small pendant in the shape of a stylized flower in red and green hung on a very simple gold chain. "Diego, it's beautiful," she said. "Did this belong to your mother?"

Diego shook his head. "No, this I found while I was in Madrid, oh, about six years ago, and it made me think of you," he said.

Victoria looked at the necklace for a moment. "It's perfect, Diego."

She took it out of the box and turned to let him fasten it around her neck. He rested his hands on her shoulders for a moment before leaning down to kiss her neck. Leaning back against him with a soft sigh, tilting her head to the side to allow him better access, Victoria whispered, "Six years?"

"Yes. I've held onto it all this time," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist as he nuzzled her neck between words. "I didn't know if I would ever get the chance or have the courage to give it to you. But I did know that it would never be anyone's but yours." Diego pulled her in a little closer and whispered in her ear, "Just like my heart."

"Why now?" she managed to ask though she found it difficult to concentrate.

Placing a kiss just below her ear, he sighed slightly. "Mostly selfishness... I want you to have something of mine that you can wear all the time, even while working in the tavern."

Twisting her head towards him, Victoria reached up to caress his cheek. "Hmm, it's not like you to be possessive."

"Oh, querida," he said, tightening his arms around her, "I've always felt possessive..." Diego faltered a bit, "and foolish."

"Foolish?" Victoria asked.

"It's just that I spent so long hiding myself, hiding my feelings behind a mask and even after that, we still had to hide things. Now... now that everything is out in the open... I want the world to know that I love you."

"And I want it to know that I love _you_." She maneuvered herself around to kiss him and bumped into his sore leg, causing him to wince.

"What is it, Diego?" she asked as she sat back.

He looked a bit sheepish. "It's nothing, really," he said.

Victoria regarded him with more suspicion. "What's nothing?" she demanded.

"It was no more than a deep scratch," he said, talking quickly in an effort to distract her. "Minor really. Hiroshi, the stranger, had some remarkable skills. He was able to take away the pain entirely using pressure points. I do wish we'd had more time to talk, as I'd really liked to have learned more about how he did that. I know how to use pressure points to render someone unconscious but to be able to eliminate pain in that way... and it's so unlikely that I'll get another opportunity to learn. I don't know of any books that detail..." He trailed off as he saw the expression on her face that told him she knew full well what he was trying to do.

"You should have told me," she said, indignantly, letting her eyes run over him in concern. "Where did you get hurt? Let me see."

He squirmed a little. "Just my leg, but I'm afraid it's a little too high to let you see until after we're married, querida," he said with a wry grin. "Trust me; it's been dealt with properly. I barely noticed it."

Victoria wasn't particularly convinced. "Something tells me that once we're married, I'm going to need a day to take inventory of all your scars and find out how you've gotten them."

"I look forward to that day," Diego said, trying not to let his thoughts dwell too much on the idea. "But perhaps now would be a good time for some lunch. I did promise to behave after all."

"I thought you were behaving rather well," Victoria replied, with a soft sigh. "But I won't tempt you any further."

"Oh, just being you is temptation enough," Diego said. "However, I actually did have some news to tell you."

"And there's something I need to discuss with you as well," Victoria said as she pulled the food out of the bags.

They both took what they wanted and sat facing each other as they ate while they talked.

"Oh, what is that?" he asked. "Have you heard from your brothers?"

She shook her head. "Not yet. They're always moving around so much it's hard to know when a letter will reach them. I'm hoping perhaps in another month. And that brings me to what I need to talk to you about."

"And what is that?" He hoped it wasn't about Zorro, though they did need to discuss that at some point. The closer their wedding came, the less he wanted to have to continue being the masked bandit.

"What we're going to do about the tavern," she said. There was so much they hadn't yet discussed, but this was a critical subject.

"I'd say that depends on what you want to do about it," Diego said. "I wouldn't dare try to tell you what to do with your family business."

"I know, my love, but that doesn't change the fact that after we're married, I won't be able to run the tavern as I have. As your wife, there will be a lot for me to do." She blushed a little. "Especially once there are children. But this is my family's legacy. I can't simply sell it."

"I wouldn't ask you to," Diego said. "What is it you want to do?"

While Victoria appreciated that he deferred to her about the tavern, she hoped he wouldn't remain noncommital in giving her some advice. "In my letters to both my brothers, I've asked if either of them want to take over the tavern. I don't know what they're going to say; neither of them have really expressed that much interest in the business in the past, but that could have changed. In the meantime, I need to find a reliable manager. Someone I can trust to run the tavern the way I want and not try to cheat either the customers or me and not be cheated either. Preferably someone who can read and write and do basic arithmetic. I haven't really had much luck in the past, and it may only end up being a temporary position, depending on my brothers' responses."

"Well, I could put a notice for you in the paper. That should help with finding someone who can at least read. Also, my father's got me going to San Pedro for him next week. There are some people I can ask if they know of anybody with tavern experience that might be interested in a move to Los Angeles. And my father has a very wide acquaintance as well; I'm sure he could also make inquiries for you."

"That would be helpful," Victoria said as she continued eating. "There is so much that we haven't talked about that we should." _Like how our marriage will affect Zorro and when you'll be willing to tell your father about him_, she thought.

Diego sighed. "True, we haven't, and that's one of the things I wanted to mention to you. I know my father wants to talk with us this week about some of the details. He's very keen to be sure that every eventuality and detail of our marriage is seen to. In fact, I suspect that he's been working out all the logistics since the moment our public courtship started."

"He's been wanting you to marry for a long time," Victoria replied.

"Yes, but he seems to have far too good an idea of exactly what _we_ specifically need to deal with for even two months planning. He's been writing to his lawyer, and well, he has a lot he wants to talk about," Diego said, with another sigh.

"It's all part of getting married," Victoria said. For some reason she found it endearing that Diego didn't particularly want to deal with the planning part of the wedding. Perhaps because he was such a perfectionist in other things, that it was nice to find a genuine rather than pretended weakness. And it gave Alejandro free rein to do exactly as he wanted, which considering how long he'd been wanting his son to get married was a benefit to him.

"I know. It's just the tedious side of it," Diego replied. "Oh, I do have some other wedding related news."

"What's that?" Victoria asked.

Diego leaned against the tree now that he was done eating. "Nothing critical. Father's just gotten a letter of acceptance from Great Aunt Catalina. Apparently she'd been visiting some friends further south and just received his letter," he said. "She told him that she wondered what had taken me so long to propose." He smiled a little reminiscently. "She knew I was in love with you. When I stopped there on my way down to... Devil's Fortress..." He got hesitant again.

"It's all right," Victoria said. "She knew?" She had thought that Doña Catalina seemed oddly knowing, yet Diego had remained very formal and distant during that particular part of their journey. It had puzzled her.

"Yes, she's distressingly perceptive, and I suspect she suspects about Zorro..." he said.

"Really?" Victoria asked, wiping her hands. She wondered if this was something to worry about. She'd really liked Doña Catalina (in some ways she'd reminded her of Abuelita) and hoped she was trustworthy.

"It's a distinct possibility. But she'd never tell anyone, not even my father, even if she thought he knew," Diego said, before moving on to another thought. "We've also heard from my cousin Raphael and his wife. They should both be able to make it as well. I haven't seen them since _their_ wedding. I'm not sure how well you remember them."

Victoria blushed red but was grateful he made no mention of the childish fight she'd gotten into with Margarita. Perhaps he'd forgotten about it, since he would only have heard of it second hand. "I remember them Diego," she said. "Anything else."

"Not at the moment. We're not sure when my Uncle Cecilio and Aunt Magdalena will arrive in California, but Father sent a letter to the family attorney in Monterey, so hopefully we'll hear from them once they're settled in."

"Diego," Victoria said suddenly, "I've just realized. They both know how well you did with your training in Madrid, don't they?"

He nodded. "I'm afraid so. However, they too are very loyal to family. Besides, Uncle Cecilio was far more interested in my academic efforts, and Aunt Magdalena is the very soul of discretion."

"So I can't expect to hear stories of what you got up to in Madrid?" Victoria asked with a smile.

Diego's gaze dropped, and he stared at the blanket next to him. "If I'm fortunate, you won't," he muttered.

Victoria lifted an eyebrow, and seeing her expression out of the corner of his eye, Diego hastened to add. "Nothing that I'm truly ashamed of. More the embarrassing mistakes of youth."

Which was true enough, with the exception of one particular adventure which could have resulted in a mistake he _would_ have been thoroughly ashamed of. It had been too narrow of an escape for him to ever want anyone else to know the details, not his father and especially not Victoria. Fortunately, only his uncle and Sir Edmund had known the full details, and he trusted his uncle not to say anything.

Uncle Cecilio wasn't entirely the absent-minded man he pretended to be either, and he had been a source of support and rescue when things had gotten awkward, which was another reason why he'd felt a bit guilty for not telling his aunt and uncle he'd almost married Zafira, a subsequent error in judgement that he should have known better to have made. Diego knew that if prompted his uncle would only tell of his academic goofs or his early social _faux pas_, and leave out the more serious foolishness.

"Hmm," she said, coming to sit beside him. "I'd like to know about times when you weren't so perfect as you are now."

He pulled her closer and looked into her eyes, lost in their depths. "I don't think perfect is quite the word you were looking for," he said, leaning down to kiss her.

Sometime later, Victoria, her voice husky, said, "I'd call that perfect."

"More like perfectly frustrating," he whispered, his fingers trailing down her cheek, "at least for now." He sighed. "But I think we'd better head back, as I'd rather not court too much more temptation today."

"And I don't want to risk hurting your leg again," Victoria said.

"There's not much to worry about there," he said, as he got up and lifted her to her feet in a single smooth motion. He gave her one last breathtaking kiss before resolutely gathering everything they had brought and repacking it in their saddlebags.

~Z~Z~Z~

They rode back into town just before siesta, stopping at the livery stable to take care of Victoria's horse before heading back to the tavern.

As they left the stable, Diego turned to Victoria with a smile. "Will you come for dinner on Thursday? My father asked me to invite you but that part seemed to have slipped my mind."

Victoria fingered the pendant on her necklace lightly. "You had a few other matters on your mind," she teased him lightly.

He caressed her cheek. "I find it very hard to think of anything else when I'm around you, querida," he said with a smile. "So will you come?"

"Of course," she replied. "I must admit that I'd like to know exactly what your father has in mind for our wedding. It's only seven months away."

"A very long seven months," Diego retorted.

Victoria smiled. "It won't seem so long after we've talked to your father."

"I don't think any talk of his _will_ be long enough to shorten the time significantly," Diego said, thinking of what was making the time seem to stretch into infinity.

"Oh I am sure there will be a lot we can do to fill that time," Victoria said flirtatiously.

Diego leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Yes, but that may prove as frustrating as the wedding preparations."

"Would you rather be completely proper?" Victoria put her hand on his arm in a light caress.

"Not a chance," Diego replied, leaning in to give her a brief kiss. "However, in the interests of being something of a gentleman, allow me to escort you back to the tavern." He held out his arm

"Thank you, kind sir," Victoria replied as she took the offered arm.

They walked back to the tavern. As soon as they were inside, Victoria went to talk to her helpers while Diego went to talk with Mendoza who was just finishing his lunch. He spent as much time in the tavern as he could get away with, especially when the alcalde was in one of his usual foul moods.

Mendoza greeted Diego with a weary smile before saying, "I don't know what you said to the alcalde, but he put away all those genealogy books and has been pouring through all the dispatches for the last year. He's been asking me all morning about that period after our last alcalde died, and you know that was a pretty uncomfortable time."

"I'm sorry, Sergeant," said Diego. "I didn't mean to cause you any trouble."

"Well, it was awkward but not really too awkward, since he didn't really want to hear about what I'd been doing," Mendoza said, apparently wanting to be fair. "I'm just glad he's now busy with the papers and done with me, though it looks like there are more maneuvers in our future."

Diego wasn't sure whether this shift in focus would have positive or negative consequences for the pueblo in general. He hoped he hadn't pushed De Soto too hard. That was the difficulty with the man. But it did seem that he'd succeeded well enough in throwing De Soto off the idea of confiscating land based on specious heritage excuses. However, Diego prayed he hadn't started something worse by his arguments. The only consistent thing about Ignacio De Soto was that he tended to choose the most impetuous, short-sighted course of action.

Unsure as he was, Diego said, "Let me at least buy your lunch today."

"Gracias, Don Diego," Mendoza said. "I won't say no." He finished his glass of wine and stood up. "Thank goodness, it's siesta. Adiós."

Once Mendoza was out the door, Victoria turned to Diego. "Is this sudden shift of focus a good thing or a bad thing?"

Diego looked across to the cuartel. "I wish I knew. It does seem to mean that he's abandoned his last scheme, which is good. However, there's no telling what his next mad idea will be. I doubt that he's decided to try to impress his superiors by his sense of justice and leadership. Or if he has, it's his warped idea of what justice and leadership really are."

Coming up beside him, Victoria wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned against him. "So same as always?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?" Victoria asked.

"Yes. De Soto is arrogant, impetuous, short-sighted, but... I don't know. Every once in a while, he shows a glimmer of... something." Diego looked down at Victoria. "I guess I'm holding out hope for him, even if it is only a sliver."

"You _really _are the most noble man I've ever known," Victoria said as she lifted her head to kiss him. "I love you."

"And I love you."

Diego looked back out across to the cuartel and stared thoughtfully at the door to the alcalde's office. He felt better than he had in a sometime. Not only was he making ready to start the life with Victoria that he thought would never come, he'd managed to head off the alcalde's plans as Diego instead of Zorro. He doubted he would ever be able to unmask, but maybe, just maybe, he could let Zorro fade away in time. Perhaps, with care, he could adjust the way he presented his unmasked self in public and also manage to become more of the son his father wanted him to be.

He sighed contentedly, kissed the top of Victoria's head and smiled. He did mean it when he said he had hope for De Soto, but for the first time in a long while, he had even more for himself.

The End

**Next Up:** "Dirty Tricks." There may be a slightly longer gap, but if there is, the benefit will be the next three stories being posted very close together.

**End Notes:** Well, I wanted a story where Diego followed up a bit on his desire to try to do some things as himself _before_ resorting to Zorro— in this case, trying to be sure that De Soto really dropped his ludicrous notion of confiscating land based on purity of blood— something I thought Diego would be in a good position to deal with.

I also wanted to deal with a small thing that kind of bothered me once I got the two of them engaged and that was Victoria's wearing an expensive heirloom ring while she was working in the tavern. I just couldn't ignore the possibility of it getting damaged or stolen, and I didn't want to try to fit that or some of the wedding discussion into the "Rush to Judgement" story.

I definitely appreciate all the reviews and responses and encouragement I've gotten on this series of stories. It's gotten more involved than I expected it to be when I had the initial notion and sometimes it's more of a chore than a pleasure, especially when my creativity hits a stumbling block. All feedback is greatly welcome as there are a couple of episodes coming up that I'm still struggling with the plot.

Thank you all that have been reading.


	14. Dirty Tricks 1

**Disclaimer:** I am merely playing with the characters. I certainly have no claim on anything but my own ideas, and anything you recognize from the episode is certainly not mine.

**Summary:** Politics can take strange turns.

**Author's Notes:** I know the plot of "Dirty Tricks" was unbelievable. The status quo restoring ending was so obvious that I'd assumed that there was some weird twist of law that allowed Victoria to run for office, but no. Anyway, I was going to skip this, but I found the idea of writing one particular scene irresistible enough to overlook how anachronistic the episode was, and then irony of ironies, the scene that made me want to write this story was the hardest to write.

Also, I've changed a few scenes around a bit, mainly to try to give the timeline a better flow for me, and I'm dropping a couple of background items that seem even more unbelievable to me, as well as adding stuff to try to make the plot slightly more believable to me, despite the fact that it's probably as anachronistic as the plot itself. Weird, how I feel guilty about changing the small things when I've already made one enormous change to the entire series and even more changes to other episodes.

Oh well, on with the tale.

**By Hook or By Crook**

**Part 1**

**(Dirty Tricks)**

Victoria was in a bad humor that day. The tavern was the busiest it had been in some time, and while that was a good thing, she'd hardly had time to take a break all morning. She'd barely been able to say hello to Diego before having to get back to business. Mendoza was going on about some dream of his where apparently she was some kind of incredibly shrewish alcalde, and then some idiot who apparently could barely read decided to try for the job of manager by insinuating that she was looking for a man to bed her. He was lucky that all she did was slap his face. If she hadn't been across the bar from him, she would have gone for a decidedly lower target.

As she stormed off to the kitchen, she thought it was a great pity that neither Pilar nor Alicia wanted the job. While Pilar didn't mind being left in charge for short periods, she had difficulties dealing with the tradespeople and was reluctant to stay for the overnight guests, and Alicia was perfectly content with cooking and serving customers and had no particular ambitions to anything more. Victoria decided to concentrate on cooking for a while, and let Pilar and Alicia deal with the customers, though she was thinking that with the way things were going she'd need both a manager and another waitress/cook.

She wasn't surprised when Diego appeared in the kitchen a few minutes later.

"Are you all right, Victoria?" he asked.

"Fine," she said. "He deserved the slap."

"I have no doubt," he replied. "Can I help?"

"I thought you and your father had something to do."

"You're more important," he said.

"I can handle this," Victoria said, with a smile, before changing the subject to one of the things that was bothering her. "Does Mendoza really think I'd be a tyrant if I were in charge?"

"It's just a dream," Diego said. "And since the last two alcaldes have been tyrants, it doesn't surprise me that anyone he dreamed into the position would also be a tyrant. I imagine if it had been me..." Diego looked puzzled. "Perhaps enforced painting or music lessons..."

Victoria laughed. "Or enforced scientific training... You're right. I shouldn't take it personally, though it would be nice if we could choose our alcalde."

"Well, technically we have the right," Diego said. "Even though we've had the commander of the garrison filling that role, Los Angeles has been given the right to elect its own alcalde and town council. Something I was pointing out to our not so loved alcalde last week."

"Then why don't we?" Victoria demanded.

"Tyranny and apathy are a powerful combination," Diego said.

"We should do something to change that," she said.

Diego stood still for a long moment. "Perhaps we could," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe if it's brought out publicly enough that he couldn't ignore it... A challenge... Especially if it came from his nemesis..."

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"A way we might make an election come through. I'm not sure it would work, but it's a definite thought. I need some time to think," he said.

"All right, I won't press you," Victoria said. "Now you'd better get out to your father before he starts wondering what you've been doing in here."

Diego turned to her and leaned down to give her a brief but thorough kiss. "I wouldn't want him to think it was all innocent," he said.

"That definitely wasn't innocent," Victoria said. "But I really do need to finish cooking, Diego, and you need to go with your father."

"If you insist," he said, giving her another kiss on her cheek this time. Then he disappeared from the kitchen.

~Z~Z~Z~

Alejandro didn't say anything about Diego's brief foray into Victoria's kitchen, but then Diego didn't expect him to. He would more likely have said something if Diego hadn't gone to see Victoria. His father got up as Diego walked back to the table.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes, father," Diego replied and followed him outside.

As he walked outside, Alejandro went back to the conversation they'd been having earlier with Mendoza on the subject of his dream. "You know, Diego," he said. "You're right. Sometimes dreams do come true, in a strange roundabout kind of way."

Diego couldn't help but agree. He'd once dreamed about being able to publicly remove Zorro's mask and claim Victoria's hand, and while the unmasking was unlikely to ever happen, he was going to marry Victoria in the not-too-distant future. He had another dream too. That of being the son his father wanted, but he didn't think it was safe for him to know Zorro's secret yet. He wasn't a man who could step aside when there was trouble, and if he knew his only son were Zorro and in danger, he couldn't be silent. However, in his own roundabout way, Diego was trying to improve his father's opinion without giving away his secret. He knew he'd been making some strides there, especially with his engagement to Victoria, which was also fulfilling one of his father's dreams, his hope of grandchildren in the near future. And they'd enjoyed teasing the sergeant a little as he seemed overly fixated on his nightmare.

Lost in thought he hadn't noticed the new boxes attached the hitching rail, until his father mentioned them. "What are these?" he asked.

Seeing Mendoza walking out of the tavern, Diego turned to ask him, "Sergeant, can you explain this?"

"Oh, sí, Don Diego. The Alcalde feels the plaza is too congested. This is his new tethering tax. If you tie your horse, you put fifty centavos into the box. If you don't put the fifty centavos in the box, your horse gets taken to the municipal corral, and you will be fined."

"That's a dreadful idea, sir," Alejandro said, even as he took some coins out his pocket and tossed them in the air in irritation.

Knowing there was no point in making a scene at the moment, Diego simply reached into his pocket for the money as he spoke the first words that came to his mind, "This town is getting far too crowded."

"Madre de Dios!" Mendoza exclaimed behind him. "That's what you said in my dream!"

Diego was starting to regret teasing Mendoza about the possibility of dreams coming true, as he seemed to be taking this all too seriously. Riding away, Diego tried to think of a way to get De Soto to drop the new tax without riding as Zorro.

~Z~Z~Z~

The new tethering tax didn't last very long. Three days later without any interference by Zorro or anyone else that Diego could tell, De Soto rescinded the tax. Most likely it was because people stopped tethering their horses in town on the second day, thus making it a very easy tax to bypass. Though De Soto glowered as he saw the empty hitching post, he said nothing to anyone, not even Mendoza.

Wondering if De Soto had any additional motives for either the tax or its reversal, Zorro even paid a late night visit to the alcalde's office. There wasn't much to be discovered. There were a couple of different official letters with contradictory instructions. One calling for more revenue for Spain and another about Monterey considering cutting the amount of funds for the cuartel on the grounds that they weren't necessary because of local taxes. He also saw a letter De Soto was drafting concerning the pay for the lancers. This might prove challenging come market day and unfortunately, would be something more in Zorro's line than Diego's.

~Z~Z~Z~

Four days later, it was market day, and Victoria was out doing the shopping for the tavern, and as she moved among the stalls, she noticed with irritation De Soto was trying to use government vouchers to buy food. Everyone else had to use money or barter. What good was a bit of paper when the alcalde's taxes cut into everything? And why wasn't he using those taxes to pay for supplies? She stopped as she saw Carlos, the vegetable vendor, demanding back his produce.

"Your voucher won't pay my rent. Give me back my vegetables!"

De Soto tried to soothe the vendor. "Relax, amigo. You'll be paid."

Victoria had had enough. Diego might have some hope for De Soto; she didn't, and she wasn't in the mood to sit back quietly today. "When? When will Carlos see his money?"

De Soto stood straighter and spoke in a way that was clearly meant to go over her head but didn't— another strike against the man. "The garrison is unfortunately suffering from an embarrassing cash flow problem at the present due to budgetary constraints stemming from a certain impecuniousness in the territorial coffers."

"So in other words, you're broke," Victoria snapped.

De Soto spoke angrily himself, but she wasn't sure whether it was anger at her asking questions or his annoyance that he was in this position to begin with. "I refuse to allow my men to starve because of bureaucratic red tape in Monterey. They must be fit. Always on the alert for forces of evil lurking in this pueblo and that includes that arch fiend... that menace to society... "

_Of course_, Victoria thought bitterly, _it always came down to..._

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Zorro's voice. She should have expected this. Diego had told her that there might be a problem on market day. "Let me guess," Zorro said. "Me?" He dropped down from the tavern to the ground.

De Soto was quick to call out. "Lancers!"

However, Zorro was quicker and had his sword to De Soto's throat before the lancers could take aim. "You'll hit the ground a dead man, señor."

Victoria noted that as usual De Soto decided that discretion was the better part of valor when he said, "Hold your fire!" Then addressing Zorro said, "What do you want?"

"An honest day's pay for an honest day's work. These people cannot exist on credit. Pay them."

"Impossible! This pueblo is operating on a deficit and short of raising taxes," he said, then raised his voice to address the people, "which I have sworn never to do..."

Victoria couldn't believe that he'd have the gall to say that considering that stupid tethering tax from last week, and Zorro seemed equally incredulous as he interrupted him.

"Spare me the political rhetoric. You have six thousand pesos in your safe," he said with a wicked grin. "I checked."

Victoria almost laughed at De Soto's expression when he said, "You what? _That _is the reward money for your capture."

"No one is ever going to collect it," Zorro said with a confidence that Victoria hoped would never prove to be misplaced. "So why not use it for something worthwhile. Now pay them!"

Again De Soto took on that pompous tone Victoria loathed. "No. The people of Los Angeles are willing to tighten their belts in support of the garrison."

Zorro lowered his voice. "I insist."

He sliced a _Z_ into De Soto's jacket and the crowd clapped as De Soto gave in— again.

Zorro looked around at the people before turning his attention back to De Soto. "You still believe the people of this pueblo support you? I'll wager that in a free election, you'd be lucky to get one vote."

And Victoria finally saw that this was what Di— Zorro had been leading to all along. A challenge to an election by getting De Soto riled. She couldn't resist adding her own fuel to the fire.

"Well, maybe one..." she sneered. "His own."

De Soto, losing his composure, insisted, "The people of Los Angeles respect me."

Victoria wondered if he was delusional enough to actually believe that ridiculous statement.

"Then why not prove it by holding a fair and open election?" Zorro asked. "Or do you choose to govern by intimidation and fear?"

"Señor, I would be pleased to hold a free election. But an election requires more than one candidate to run and..." He raised his voice as he looked around threateningly. "... since there is no one to run against me..."

As De Soto had been speaking, Victoria had been looking around. She'd hoped that Don Alejandro would be in town. He was one of the few people willing to stand up to the alcalde face to face; the other was Diego but he was standing there with a mask on. And Victoria realized that if no one volunteered to be a candidate right now, De Soto would rescind the offer, and they'd lose the opportunity perhaps for good, since De Soto seemed to want to believe that every one either respected or feared him too much to stand against him. Well, Victoria was not about to let him get away with that. Before De Soto could finish his sentence, Victoria shouted, "I will!"

The entire crowd seemed taken aback, De Soto most of all.

"What did you say?" he asked.

With the confidence born of her anger and disgust, Victoria said, "If that's all it takes to get you out of office, you have an opponent."

De Soto, realizing that he couldn't back down without looking more of a fool than usual, said, "So be it."

Zorro turned to her with a slight smile, and she could see the approval in his eyes. "Señorita, I commend your civic mindedness, and I'm sure you'll be the fairest alcalde in California. I must take my leave." He gave a slight bow before turning and punching De Soto in the stomach. Then he took out a coin and tossed it to Carlos. "For your vegetables, Monsieur." Then he was off and escaping from the lancers with his usual aplomb.

After Zorro had disappeared, De Soto stood up, straightened up his clothes and faced Victoria. "So, Señorita Escalante, you're determined to stand for election."

"As soon as you're willing to set the date," Victoria retorted.

De Soto looked at her craftily. "Well, I wouldn't want to delay the wheels of the electoral process. So I propose we hold the election in three days' time. Voting to be held in the plaza."

"Three days?" she asked incredulously.

"With your confidence, surely you don't require more time," he said.

"Of course not," Victoria retorted. "The sooner we can vote you out of office the better."

She turned and headed towards the tavern.

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego and Felipe rode into town not too long after this. While Felipe disappeared into the crowd for a few minutes, Diego was properly amazed when Mendoza told him what had happened in the marketplace. Once he had heard the whole story, he entered the tavern to see Victoria busily talking with some people about the election. He approached her in his capacity as editor of the _Guardian_ and asked if she'd take a walk over to the newspaper and tell him her plans for the pueblo. She agreed readily.

She took a deep breath as she entered the office. "Gracias, Diego. I don't think I knew what I was getting into this morning." She sat down in one of the chairs. "It seems very hard to get the people to see what an opportunity this is to make this pueblo what it should be."

"Politics is a trying business, Victoria," Diego said as he went to sit behind the desk.

"Do you not mind that I volunteered?" she asked. She felt sure he approved, but she'd wondered if he'd had someone else in mind when he'd made the challenge.

"From what I understand, if you didn't, we wouldn't be having an election at all," he said. "And you are a truly excellent candidate. A person of property and standing in the community, which is all that is required as far as I was able to determine."

"That's good to know," Victoria said. "This fight is going to be nasty enough as is."

"And that is something we need to talk about," he said.

"What particularly?"

"Dirty politics. We both know that De Soto is going to try to win by any means necessary. And as editor of the pueblo's only newspaper, I'm in a unique position, as I'm supposed to behave in an unbiased manner no matter what my feelings really are."

"What are you saying?" Victoria asked.

"Please don't take amiss any declarations of neutrality you hear from me over the next couple of days," he said. "I will be, as always, on _your _side, but..."

"I understand," Victoria said. "The paper's important to you— and you think he might take your neutrality as an opening to try to influence you."

"Right on both counts," he said. "It's wonderful being engaged to such a clever woman. I think you'll make an excellent alcalde."

"What about remaining unbiased?" she asked.

"That _is_ my unbiased opinion," Diego said. "You've always been passionate about justice, about the people, never shy about speaking up, even with a tyrant. It's part of what I love about you, even as I worry about what might happen."

"I'm not quite as impulsive as I used to be," Victoria replied. "Not that you could tell this morning."

"That wasn't impulse; that was acting decisively and passionately when needed," Diego said. "And providing the people with a truly just and noble candidate in the face of... what we have at the moment." He sighed.

Victoria smiled. "You're not exactly coming off as unbiased, my dear editor, but I wish you could more actively help me. You have a great gift for words."

"Perhaps you could ask my father," Diego said. "I'm sure he'd love to be your campaign manager. He loves the battle and believes whole-heartedly in the same things you do, and he won't want to stand aside now that we have a possible way of ousting our current alcalde."

Victoria looked at him curiously. "And how do you intend to appear to remain aloof with your father aiding your fiancée in a political campaign?"

"As best I can, since there's no one else to do the job," he said, before taking out some paper and a pencil. "Now tell me, Señorita Escalante, what are your plans for the pueblo."

"Well, the first thing will be to get rid of the bounty on a man whose only crime is protecting the people," Victoria said, with determination. "Aside from the unfairness of that, we saw today that the pueblo can't afford such a high bounty. Six thousand pesos sitting in a safe when the cuartel can't afford to pay for its supplies, when we need an improved water supply, and a better school. All these taxes, and yet nothing is done to help the people."

"Excellent," Diego said. He glanced out the window to see his father riding to the front of the tavern. "And now might be a good time to go talk to my father."

"All right," Victoria said, rising from her chair.

Diego stood up and crossed to the other side of the desk and took her hand in his. "Good luck." He kissed her hand very politely to her mild displeasure but still smiled warmly at her.

"The whole pueblo needs it," Victoria replied, as she turned to leave.

Leaning against the side of the window, Diego watched her cross the plaza, greeting people as she made her way back to the tavern. She was magnificent, with a good mind and a better heart... and he really did need to cultivate a better air of neutrality to keep De Soto from using their relationship as a reason to discount anything the _Guardian_ said. He'd need to walk very carefully, and somehow get De Soto to overlook or discount that little detail. He almost wished that anyone else had volunteered for the election, but he was there, and if she hadn't spoken no one else would have. It would have been easier if his father had been the one, he thought ruefully. Enough people knew of the general disappointment his father had in him, even if his opinion had lately improved, that De Soto would have immediately thought of using that as a wedge. However, he couldn't really regret Victoria's stand. She was a fighter to her bones, and even as it often added to his anxiety, she wouldn't be the woman he loved if she'd stayed silent in the face of such an opportunity.

Sighing, he sat down at the desk. All this was going to require a special edition of the newspaper, and he might as well get started on the first story. Felipe entered the office shortly after he got started.

"You know, you're getting a little obvious about leaving us alone," Diego said.

Felipe shrugged and signed something that made Diego turn a little red.

"It isn't always like that," Diego said. "I was just interviewing her for the paper." Felipe looked skeptical. "Really, Felipe. After all, until the election is over, we need to keep our distance, and I have to be the perfect impartial gentleman... and don't give me that look either. Now is my father in the tavern?"

Felipe nodded.

"Good— I think. He's not going to be at all impartial. This is going to be a challenge, Felipe. De Soto isn't going to play fair, and now it's my fiancée and my father versus him. I don't know how I'm going to manage this." He looked at Felipe. "Yes, I think Zorro should have thought things through a little more thoroughly _before_ he challenged the alcalde to hold an open election. Like having a candidate ready who did not have close ties to the newspaper editor." He sighed a little as he took in what Felipe was trying to tell him. "No, I can't think of anyone either. Not enough people willing to challenge the alcalde on his own ground." He stared out the window. "Oh, they'll protest— to a point. They'll act— when he's not around to see. We've all become a little too dependent on a masked man to save the day." He went back to the desk. "It doesn't matter now. We've got some work to do."

~Z~Z~Z~

An hour later, Diego and Felipe made their way over to the tavern to see what was going on and found his father in the middle of a group of people making political signs in support of Victoria. The moment he saw his son, however, he crossed the room immediately.

"Diego, Victoria has asked me to organize her political campaign," Alejandro said.

"A wise choice. Congratulations," Diego replied sincerely.

"Thank you, though I'm a little surprised she didn't ask you," Alejandro said. "We are going to unseat the despot De Soto, Diego. I know I can count on you two for help."

Diego hated to disillusion his father, but he had no choice. "Well... Felipe's free to do as he chooses, but as editor of the only newspaper in the pueblo, it is my duty to be as fair as possible to both candidates, which..." he started to say before his father interrupted him.

"What _fair_, Diego? We're talking about Ignacio De Soto. The word _fair _doesn't exist in his vocabulary," Alejandro said angrily.

"Does it follow we should exclude it from ours?" Diego asked rhetorically. "And before you ask, Victoria and I already discussed this, since it's going to be more of a challenge to seem to be fair as I'm engaged to her."

His father looked like he was about to explode. "Diego, we have a chance for a free Los Angeles at last, and I just can't believe that... that..." He spluttered to a stop, and Diego could practically see him reconsidering what Diego said. "No, no, no. Wait." He smiled as the idea hit him. "Wait. Good thinking, Diego. I can just see it now. After impartially weighing all of the issues in the election, the _Guardian _firmly endorses la Señorita Victoria Escalante as alcalde." He slapped Diego on the arm. "Good thinking." He turned around to go talk to another group. Diego was relieved that his father didn't protest any more than he did, though he was afraid that it wasn't going to be as easy as that, at least not without careful work on his part.

Victoria caught his eye as he started back towards the door. He smiled brightly, as he exited to sit on the tavern's porch at a seat near a window so he could look inside as well as across towards the cuartel. For the rest of the day he planned to be as invisible as possible and simply observe the democratic process, such as it was, at work.

~Z~Z~Z~

The next afternoon, Diego made his way back to town. He'd gotten to see more than enough of the campaign beginnings the day before. De Soto had had his lancers busy making signs and riding around the country informing people of the election, while his father had gotten many of his fellow caballeros as well as his vaqueros to do the same. Victoria talked with everyone who came to the tavern. She had a truly winning manner when she took the trouble, and she was taking the trouble now.

Once siesta was over it seemed that most of the pueblo was congregating in the tavern to listen to Victoria speak about what she hoped to accomplish for the pueblo. This included De Soto who seemed to simply be hovering around in silent annoyance, rather than trying to make his own case. Diego kept an eye on De Soto, wondering what he was planning to do. It was out of character for him to simply stand by.

"A vote for me is a vote for an alcalde who will see that your taxes will be spent justly. For a better water supply... for schools... and not for pink lace curtains in my office!" Victoria said with a small laugh.

Diego noticed Mendoza looking a little taken aback by that last comment. Victoria obviously was still annoyed by Mendoza's dream, though she turned it into a joke instead. After all, anyone who knew Victoria knew she was not one to spend money on frivolities, unlike the men who'd been holding the office of alcalde.

"Victoria Escalante, the next alcalde!" Don Alejandro said, after Victoria had finished her speech.

There was much applause, and Diego stood taking notes, while still watching De Soto out of the corner of his eye. He realized that De Soto was also watching him, and when Felipe came up to him and pointed this out as well making a few signs, Diego said quietly, "You're right, Felipe. De Soto will use every means at his disposal to defeat Victoria." He glanced at De Soto again. "But..." Now was the time for to make things a bit obvious to De Soto. Raising his voice, he said, "I must remain neutral, Felipe. The Los Angeles _Guardian_ has a duty to the voters of this pueblo, no matter how strong my feelings for Victoria. It is critical that I be even handed."

Almost on cue De Soto took the bait, clapping at Diego's public declaration of neutrality.

"I applaud your integrity, Diego, if not your suit," he said, apparently unable to resist a barb even as he wanted something. "Please, stop by my office a little later. I would like to outline for you my five-year expansion plan for the pueblo."

Diego, glad to have the opportunity to see what De Soto would try, said, "Why not?"

"Excellent. Until eight then," De Soto said.

Nodding his head, Diego signaled to Felipe that it was time to leave. Once they were outside and out of earshot, Diego said, "We can do more good if De Soto thinks I'm particularly easy to manipulate. And if it looks like I'm playing his game, he might not try something worse."

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego arrived at the alcalde's office promptly at eight, wondering what De Soto had in mind to convince him. It would be interesting to see if he were subtle with his attempt to influence him.

He wasn't.

Almost as soon as the pleasantries were over, De Soto went straight to business. "I understand that you find yourself in an awkward position as editor of the paper, wanting to do your best to be fair on such an important matter, and of course, it is a challenge when your own fiancée is one of the candidates."

"That is quite true," Diego said, still waiting. "But I intend to do my duty to the best of my ability."

"Of course, of course," De Soto said, in what Diego thought was _supposed_ to be a conciliatory manner. "And I'm sure it's not easy to have to worry about offending your fiancée, even for the good of the pueblo. I'd like to find a way to make the decision easier for you."

Diego didn't reply, but simply raised an eyebrow as De Soto brought out a bag of coins and dumped it out on the desk.

"Two thousand pesos. It's all yours," he said.

"Provided the Los Angeles _Guardian _endorses Ignacio De Soto for the office of alcalde," Diego said.

De Soto seemed pleased by Diego's understanding. "I knew we spoke the same language. After all, we're both men of the world, _sí_, Don Diego? Democracy— it's just a plaything we give to the people when we need them. We both know the real power lies... with men like us. The movers and the shakers of this world." He looked up at Diego. "And it really _is _a man's world. Women don't have a head for politics, and I'm sure you can agree that it would be best if Señorita Escalante paid more attention to you and your upcoming marriage than getting tangled up in local politics."

"I've always admired her independence, alcalde," Diego said. He was willing to go a certain distance but not too far. Besides, it would be interesting to see what De Soto would do if Diego resisted a bit.

"True, she is independent. But can you really tell me you're pleased with the thought of your future wife spending all her time trying to run the pueblo when she should be learning to run your household instead?"

"I hardly think a woman who runs a tavern needs any training to run a hacienda; if anything it will probably be rather dull for her," Diego said mildly. It was hard to keep on the oblivious side, especially in light of De Soto's blatant offer of money which he hadn't yet responded to.

He could see De Soto's frustration with him and knew he'd pushed it about as far as he could, so he waited to see what the man would say next before getting back on track. De Soto made an effort to control his contempt and find some common ground. "Don Diego... as independent as Señorita Escalante is, she could hardly respect a man who simply leaps to her command. You need to assert your own independence. Show her you're a man to be reckoned with..." De Soto looked down at the money on the table. "And with two thousand pesos you could get her something with a bit more flare than that necklace she's now wearing."

Diego had to work to keep his composure at that last statement. He could certainly afford on his own behalf to buy Victoria far more expensive jewelry, but that necklace had a certain sentimental value and the fact that it was not expensive is what made it appropriate for her to wear openly without worrying it would attract thieves or be damaged during daily wear. But it wouldn't do for him to seem offended right now. He decided instead to ask about the money De Soto was offering. "I understand the pueblo funds were at an all-time low. How did you come by this?"

De Soto's face took on an expression of wicked glee. "I took it from Zorro's reward money. He gave me the idea himself. Isn't that fantastic?" He laughed at his self-perceived cleverness.

Again Diego had to struggle to keep a straight face though this time it was because he was trying not to laugh rather than to hide offense. "It does have a certain irony," he said.

"Well, what do you say?" De Soto asked eagerly.

Diego took a moment to appear thoughtful, but if he appeared to accept this bribe at face value, De Soto would be far more inclined to refrain from casting doubts on the _Guardian_ until it was too late for it to do him any good. "Two thousand pesos is a lot of money," he said. He took a deep breath before finishing. "The Los Angeles _Guardian _endorses Ignacio De Soto for the office of alcalde with pleasure."

"Excellent," De Soto said.

He took the bag and held it open as De Soto started dropping the coins back into it. He could only hope that this little bit of trickery on his part would not backfire on him come election day.

~Z~Z~Z~

After his meeting with De Soto, Diego went into the _Guardian_ office and worked on his story for about fifteen minutes before slipping out and around to the back of the tavern. He'd told Victoria that he'd be there at nine, and he didn't have to wait long before she came out and met him.

"Well?" she asked.

Diego smiled. "Well, I've just been offered two thousand pesos to endorse Ignacio De Soto for alcalde, and I thought I'd come and see what his competition had to offer," he joked.

Victoria raised a brow but played along. "I could offer you albondigas soup," she suggested lightly.

He shook his head.

"Flan?"

He _did _love her flan even more than her soup. However... "Tempting, but not quite," he said.

A slightly mischievous smile appearing on her face, Victoria made a show of thinking before saying, "Then perhaps... a kiss?"

"That sounds about right," he said, leaning towards her for a brief but sweet kiss. "Now that is certainly much better than two thousand pesos."

"You're easily satisfied," Victoria said.

"Not in the least, querida," he said. "But that's a discussion for another time."

Victoria smiled at him as she leaned against the wall. "He really tried bribing you?"

"He wasn't even subtle," Diego replied, showing her the bag. "Two thousand pesos and a lecture on how to keep my future wife in her place."

"You accepted?" she asked incredulously.

"The bribe, not the lecture. It seemed only fair as he was so determined," Diego said. "Although I'm afraid that Zorro might take exception to this and rob me on the way home. I don't think I'd dare put up a struggle."

"I certainly wouldn't," Victoria teased. "And it serves you right for accepting bribes. You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself."

"I know, and I am," he said, knowing he didn't sound at all ashamed. "But still I intend to do my best for Ignacio, even if it's not exactly in the spirit he intended."

"What are you planning?" Victoria asked suspiciously.

"Oh, to do exactly what he asked, but not in the way he meant."

"Is this going to get you into trouble?"

"Not too much if he thinks I'm being obtuse or helpful in the worst way," he said. "But don't worry. I intend to be absolutely fair and give my whole-hearted support to the best candidate." He took her hand and kissed it.

"Diego..."

"Allow me a little mystery for myself, Victoria. I'd like you to be genuinely surprised tomorrow."

Victoria reluctantly acquiesced. "All right, but don't do anything dangerous. That's Zorro's job, not my peace-loving fiancé's."

"Trust me."

"I do," she assured him. "That doesn't mean I don't worry."

~TBC~


	15. Dirty Tricks 2

**By Hook or By Crook**

**Part 2**

**(Dirty Tricks)**

As soon as he got home, Diego planned to ride as Zorro back to pueblo to drop the bribe money in the church's poor box, not wanting to take the chance of De Soto seeing him doing it as himself. Unfortunately for his plan, no sooner than he walked through the door than he heard his father calling him. He only had enough time to hide the money behind the sofa before his father walked into the library.

"Ah, Diego, tell me you didn't spend all this time with De Soto," his father said as he came into sight.

"Certainly not," Diego said sitting down on the sofa. "I did have to write up some things. After all the special edition of the paper is coming out tomorrow, and we'll have to start the typesetting early."

His father sat down in a chair and looked at him impatiently. "Well? What did De Soto have to say?"

Diego wasn't about to tell his father the whole story. "Not too much. Simply laid out his case for why he believed the _Guardian_ should support him."

"And what did you tell him?"

Diego shrugged slightly. "I had to be diplomatic, Father. There's no point in antagonizing the man before the paper comes out. It's difficult enough to appear neutral when his opponent is my fiancée and you're managing her campaign."

Alejandro nodded. "Yes, you have a point. I hadn't thought of it, but we're lucky he isn't trying to make capital out of that. Perhaps I shouldn't have volunteered for the job, but the thought of finally getting that man out..." he trailed off.

"Father, no one would believe your staying out of the thick of the election; in fact, that would probably do more harm than good. If people thought you weren't willing to take a clear stand against the man, they wouldn't either. Your support is far more important than anything the paper can do one way or the other."

"Now, son, that's not true. You've done a good job with the _Guardian_. People trust you, and they trust it, and they're looking to see what you say tomorrow. You were right to insist on trying to be fair on both sides, even if it's almost impossible to do in a case like this. And I'll know you'll do the right thing tomorrow." He stood up. "I'd better get some sleep as well. We've still got another full day before the election. Good night, Diego."

"Good night, Father," said Diego, rising and going to one of the bookshelves as if he were planning on getting something to read before bed.

He waited until his father had been gone for a few minutes before retrieving the bag and slipping down into the cave. He was feeling a strange mixture of pride and embarrassment at his father's words. The newspaper had always been important to him, and while his father had always supported him in it, it still was good to hear such high praise from a man who tended to value action over words. As he rode towards the pueblo, he wondered if it were time to let his father know about Zorro.

Despite his concerns and still the fear that something would go wrong, Diego had never really had any reason to regret that Victoria knew his secret. She'd adapted better than he'd expected, helping him in ways he'd never even considered. However, there still remained a danger in telling his father that hadn't applied to Victoria. Yes, they were both quick tempered and impulsive as she'd pointed out the few times she'd argued with him over the question of telling his father, and yes, he also knew that his father would never willingly betray his secret. However...

There was the fact that his father was an old soldier, who sometimes forgot that he didn't have the skill of his youth. He knew Alejandro recognized Zorro's skill and could stand aside for him, but if Alejandro knew that his only son was Zorro, would he be willing or able to let him fight as he always had? Or conversely, would he encourage his recklessness? He'd like to think not, not with his marriage so close. But while he could depend on his father's desire to protect his family, he couldn't rely on his father's temper, which Diego had seen get him into trouble many times over the years, one reason he'd worked so hard to try to master his own.

By this time he was close enough to the pueblo to slip off Toronado's back and make his way stealthily to the church. A minute later and Diego's ill-gotten gains were safely away in the poor box, and Zorro was making his way home. On his way back, he did think about the fact that if Victoria won and De Soto actually conceded, then revealing the secret to his father wouldn't be so fraught with danger, but he'd already learned to his sorrow not to count on things working out on their own when it came to justice in Los Angeles.

On the other hand, it had been Victoria who had convinced him that it was better not to put his life on hold indefinitely waiting for a perfect moment. He did want his father to know the truth someday. Perhaps the election would make it easy for him; if not, he'd still need a time of relative peace in order to be sure his father had time to absorb the knowledge and figure out how to deal with it on his own. Maybe on a trip away from Los Angeles. That would probably be the best idea no matter what the results of the election were. For now, the best thing he could do was get home and get some sleep before heading into town to finish getting the paper ready for print.

~Z~Z~Z~

Early the next day, Diego and Felipe along with Jorge and Domingo Garcia, the _Guardian_'s regular typesetters, began getting the special edition of the newspaper ready for the afternoon. They kept the office locked up to keep curious eyes away as they worked. Diego had no intention of letting anyone outside of the four of them have any idea what the _Guardian_ would say until it was printed and ready to be distributed. Since De Soto had Mendoza practically chained to the door, Diego took some mercy on him and opened the door just long enough to tell him when the paper would be ready and then stepped back inside, locking it again.

Finally, everything was finished and the paper ready to be distributed. Diego was just going to unlock the door when he heard a shot outside. Cautiously he opened the door a crack while Felipe went to the window. They quickly relaxed when they realized that it was De Soto's ham-fisted way of getting attention. Since it wasn't quite the time he'd told Mendoza the paper would be ready, Diego held back wanting to hear what De Soto was going to say.

Standing on the platform that had been erected in the center of the plaza, De Soto spoke loudly to the crowd. "My friends, in a few short minutes the latest edition of the Los Angeles _Guardian _will announce its endorsement for _one _of the candidates. I suggest very strongly that you heed its wise and informed opinion." Diego couldn't hide the smile that came when he heard De Soto praise the paper. It would be difficult to backtrack without looking more of a fool than he normally did. De Soto continued in his pompous way. "My friends, you have before you a very simple choice. On one hand, Ignacio De Soto..." He paused dramatically, though it was undercut by the lone sound of Mendoza clapping. "A man trained for this position. A man who will labor day and night for your welfare. And on the other hand, you have Señorita Escalante..."

This time the pause was interrupted by his father exclaiming her name and clapping, along with a number of other people.

De Soto had to raise his voice in order to cut through the applause and finish his statement. "A thief." He paused as the crowd went quiet. "Yes. A woman convicted of robbery." Appearing triumphant, he continued more forcefully, "It's true. In that very mission, she stole from your poor little schoolchildren. Do you deny that, Señorita?"

Victoria, now over the shock of the charge, immediately spoke up. "Oh, for heaven's sake! I was five-years old!" She looked around at the crowd. "All right, I took a pencil from José Perón. But everyone knows it. I've told the story a million times."

Diego wondered at De Soto's tactics, if this was the worst charge he could manage to bring against Victoria. Luis Ramone had shown a great deal more creativity in dealing with his opponents.

De Soto continued speaking, "My friends, I want you to ask yourselves a question. Is this the kind of person you want to govern you? She stole pencils then. What will she steal now?"

Knowing that this just wasn't going to get any better and was reaching ridiculous levels, Diego decided now was the time for the _Guardian_ to make its appearance. He stood back from the door and gestured for Felipe to go ahead with the first stack of papers, as he grabbed a handkerchief to try to get the ink off his hands. As Felipe handed out the papers, Diego made his way across the plaza wanting to put some distance between himself and both the candidates.

De Soto without even seeing what the paper said spoke. "Read and judge for yourselves, my fellow Angelenos. I will be happy to continue to serve as your alcalde." He finally received his copy and without bothering to check the contents started reading aloud. "The Los Angeles _Guardian _proudly and happily endorses Ignacio De Soto... for alcalde of..." He paused as he finally saw what Diego had written. "San Diego?"

Diego worked at looking innocent as the crowd laughed.

De Soto angrily called his name. "De la Vega!"

"Well, it's a wonderful town," Diego said, before seeming to understand what was making De Soto angry. "You mean you wanted to be endorsed as alcalde of Los Angeles?"

"Yes!"

It was very hard to appear properly apologetic when he was trying not to laugh. "I'm so sorry, Ignacio. You should have been more specific."

Crumpling his paper, De Soto crossed the plaza to whisper to Diego. "I want my money back. Now."

"Well, I'd love to oblige you, Señor," Diego said. "But unfortunately last night on my way home, I was robbed— by Zorro. He said something about wanting to make a donation to the mission poor box. Maybe he wanted to make amends for that pencil Victoria stole." He paused for a moment to try to ease up on the sarcasm. "Besides, you should read the rest of what I wrote. I did try to do my best for you, Ignacio. Los Angeles is really too small a town for a man of your scope and ambition. Anyway, good luck. I'll be voting early tomorrow." He couldn't quite keep the smile off his face as he left to cross the plaza.

Victoria was reading to Alejandro when Diego reached them. "It say here that the _Guardian _thinks Victoria Escalante is a welcome change to local politics."

His father looked up at him. "Oh, well done, Diego. Although I have to admit you had me worried there for a moment."

"Me?"

"Yes, you," Alejandro replied before stepping away.

"You certainly surprised me," Victoria said.

"I hope you don't mind," he said softly.

She shook her head with a slight smile. "No, it was worth it to see the look on his face."

Diego looked around. "Well, I certainly don't want to keep you from solidifying your support, and I have a few things that still need tending in the office." He kissed her hand lightly before turning to disappear back inside.

~Z~Z~Z~

The next morning, voting began in the pueblo. Alejandro had ridden in just after sunrise to help oversee the voting and make sure De Soto didn't try to intimidate the voters. Victoria was feeling very nervous. Today might be the day for them to rid themselves of an unjust alcalde, and then perhaps the people could start to stand up for themselves.

Not wanting to add to the numbers at the polling place after she'd cast her own vote, Victoria remained on the tavern porch watching the proceedings. Diego rode into town shortly after voting began, and after casting his vote, joined Victoria. They stood over to one side and watched.

Quietly, even though no one stood near, Diego said, "De Soto's too calm. I'm afraid he's got something up his sleeve."

"Like what?" Victoria asked.

"I'm not sure, but I think whatever it is will become apparent after the votes are counted. It might be a good idea if the man who started this made sure it was an honest election."

"I see." Victoria understood exactly what he wasn't saying. They'd have to have a good excuse for Diego to be out of sight for some time. That was the one thing that had become more difficult now that they were engaged. It was harder to come up with excuses for Diego's absence during major events, and today of all days people would expect him to be there at the end. Even though one of the qualities that made her love him was he didn't mind looking weak or foolish if it helped protect those he loved, she hated when it impacted his father's opinion of him, and today was not a good day for him to just get forgetful or distracted. Well, he hadn't been sick for a while; that would be better. Casually, she said, "You've done quite a lot for the election yourself. And with all that extra printing and ink and eye strain and lack of sleep, I wouldn't be surprised if you came down with a sick headache and needed to rest in a quiet room at the tavern. As your fiancée, I think I'd insist on it and also make sure no one disturbed you." She knew that Alejandro wouldn't object if _she _insisted.

Diego smiled slightly. "I think you're right. I do feel a little under the weather now. But I don't think it will get too bad until about an hour before the end of the voting."

"We wouldn't want you to miss too much."

"Or anyone else to miss me," he said.

"That too." She looked over at the people who were voting. "I'm so nervous. I want so much for the people to win today. But what if we don't?" She watched as De Soto stood in the door of the alcalde's office before disappearing back inside. Would he actually concede if... when... he lost? She had her doubts. She knew that Zorro would fight for a fair election, and if... when... De Soto lost, he'd fight for the results to be accepted.

"We go on and fight again another day. As we always do," Diego said. "But let's hope for the best today."

Victoria smiled at him. "Yes, let's. Even if the worst happens, we've at least tweaked the tyrant's tail."

"Exactly," Diego said. "And at best, we finally have someone who genuinely cares about the pueblo, with also the determination to see the job through to the best of her considerable ability."

"Then I guess I don't have to wonder which way you voted," Victoria said with a laugh, warmed by his confidence in her.

"No indeed," Diego said. "Do you want to go inside to await the results?"

"It would probably be a good idea. I'm too nervous to stay out here." She took hold of his arm as they walked back inside the tavern. "And," she added with a wry smile, "you should be working on feeling worse."

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria stood impatiently waiting for the results of the election to be counted. So far everything had been going very smoothly, including the plan to get Diego out of sight and out of mind before the polls closed. He'd very convincingly managed to look not well, and she'd insisted on making him tea and then having him lie down upstairs in the room most suited to quiet and an easy exit from the tavern, before locking the door with her master key to keep anyone from disturbing him. She knew that Zorro was out there waiting to deal with any fraudulent or violent behavior on the part of De Soto.

Finally, Mendoza was ready to announce the results. Victoria braced herself.

"Five ninety-nine... Señorita Escalante," he said, to the cheers of the crowd.

Victoria took a deep breath as he spoke again..

"Five ninety-nine... Alcalde De Soto," he said to the distress of the crowd.

Alejandro, in palpable disbelief, said, "That's a tie. After all our hard work, Victoria."

Victoria was stunned as well. How could that even be possible? "Well, I don't believe it. If just one more citizen would have voted..."

Mendoza looking suddenly guilty, exclaimed, "Oh, Señorita Escalante! I completely forgot to vote. It will never happen again. I promise."

The moment Mendoza spoke, De Soto immediately jumped in, saying, "I declare this polling place officially reopened for thirty seconds while my idiotic and absent-minded..." he stopped mid-sentence realizing that this was not exactly the way to win the wayward vote. "... my... my ever-faithful and astute sergeant records his civic duty." He held up a quill and some paper for him. "Sergeant, it's up to you."

Nervously now that he was the center of attention and the one relied on to make the final decision, Mendoza pleaded with the two candidates. "Please, _mi alcalde_, Señorita Escalante, don't make me do this. No matter which way I vote, half of the town is going to hate me."

All eyes were on the sergeant, so it was a full surprise when the voice of Zorro broke in.

"Not so, Sergeant," he said. Everyone turned to look. Zorro was on Toronado's back holding a lit torch and very near the cuartel's open gates. As the lancers aimed their muskets at him, Zorro continued quite calmly, "I would advise caution, amigos. There's a fuse that runs right into the armory." He waited a moment for the reaction to sink in. "Now it's a shame I can't come into this pueblo for a pleasant chat without having to resort to such dramatic schemes."

De Soto, not forgetting what Zorro had just interrupted, said, "The sergeant was about to elect me alcalde."

"That's not true!" Victoria broke in. "He was just about to elect me."

Zorro looked at them both and announced, "Actually he was going to elect no one. I understand there were five hundred and ninety-nine votes for each candidate. That makes nearly twelve hundred votes cast by the citizens of Los Angeles. But at the last census, there were only seven hundred people in the entire pueblo." Again he waited for the reaction to settle before he continued, "Yes, my friends, someone has been tampering with the ballot box. I suggest you vote again, in the morning."

That was when De Soto spoke again. "That won't be necessary. I've been waiting for the appropriate moment." He held up a book that had been sitting on the table in front of him. Victoria had wondered what its purpose was. "You see, I've discovered a law— written by King Ferdinand II in 1484." He laughed. "A wonderful law... a sublime law..." He flipped open the book and glanced at the page. "... which forbids females from holding public office." He dropped the book with a dramatic thud.

Victoria couldn't quite believe it. Hadn't they already dealt with this? "Oh, that's absurd! That was over three hundred years ago."

De Soto chuckled wickedly. "Well, that may be, but it is still the law. So if you want to be alcalde, go right ahead, take office. You'll be immediately arrested, and I win."

Zorro cut into De Soto's last laugh with one of his own. "Ah! You win... and you lose!" He tossed the torch to the end of the fuse running into the cuartel.

As Zorro and Toronado kept the lancers from the fuse, Victoria wondered what he really was doing. She knew that he couldn't be serious about blowing up the armory. But he was certainty lessening De Soto's cheating triumph, since as usual neither he nor his lancers were successful in either stopping Zorro or getting to the fuse. Alejandro, not as confident as she was, pulled her towards the tavern, as Zorro disappeared from the pueblo, and Victoria had no doubt that faster than even she suspected Diego would be back upstairs in the tavern. Another minute and it was clear that Zorro had played a trick on De Soto as the fuse never reached the barrel of gunpowder which had a sign which said "BOOM" sitting in front of it.

After that De Soto stalked off angrily to his office. Victoria couldn't help but smile. He may have won, but he certainly had no reason to gloat over it. He'd clearly cheated in the ballots and had to resort to an old law to assure victory. It was frustrating. This was a new world with new opportunities. It seemed ridiculous that they were still bound by foolish decrees and outdated notions. She knew she'd have made a better alcalde than De Soto, but then Mendoza even when he was screwing everything up made a better alcalde.

~Z~Z~Z~

She had been right about Diego. He'd been walking down the stairs by the time she and Alejandro had reentered the tavern. Victoria had closed the tavern early, not in the mood to even receive general condolences, though Mendoza did make his way inside to make sure they didn't hold his waffling against them. She didn't. Despite asking him the question, she knew that if he had been able to vote privately, he would have voted with them. The man was often torn between his conscience and his duty. She wouldn't let him off the hook on something critical, but his vote wouldn't have really decided anything in the end.

Alejandro invited her to have dinner and spend the night at the hacienda, an offer she was eager to accept. Even if De Soto had no reason to gloat, she wouldn't put it past him to try, and she wasn't in the mood. Tomorrow would be soon enough to deal with him. Tonight was better spent with family.

"What I'd like to know is just how many votes that rascal De Soto faked," Alejandro said while they were at the dinner table.

"That's simple enough," Diego said. "Since there were about five hundred more votes than people and Ignacio De Soto is not that complicated a man, I believe that simply subtracting those five hundred votes from his tally would give us a correct count of five hundred and ninety-nine for Victoria and ninety-nine for him."

"Now that I can better believe," Alejandro said. "Though the fact that he actually got ninety-nine votes..."

"Well, we've never had an election before," Diego said. "Some people may have been afraid of reprisals."

"Or would rather be led by a wicked man than any woman," Victoria added, with a touch of frustration.

Here in the new world, women had been given land grants, owned property, had protection under the law, yet still there were still so many restrictions on what a woman could do. She'd had to fight to be taken seriously when she'd started running the tavern. She'd owed a lot to Abuelita who was a formidable force and to Alejandro who had done his best to see that she was treated respectfully and had a certain amount of protection as she learned to protect herself. But men still were in control of things, though she had hopes for the future. She did take comfort in the fact that Diego didn't share any of those notions about female inferiority or the inferiority of anyone based on birth or race for that matter. It was another reason she couldn't help but love him.

"I suppose," Diego said mildly. "But clearly not that many. You would have won by a decisive majority."

"Very true," Alejandro said, raising his glass to her. "And I hope De Soto chokes on the thought."

"He'll never let on," Victoria said, "but I'm sure he will."

~Z~Z~Z~

After dinner, Alejandro left them together after making some vague excuse. The moment they were alone, Diego wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, a kiss she returned with some enthusiasm.

"Now that is very consoling," Victoria said with a soft sigh.

Diego kissed his way to her ear. "It's my pleasure," he whispered. "Though since my father won't leave us alone for too long, I think we should pick another form of entertainment. Your choice, my love."

Victoria leaned against him, taking comfort in his embrace. "It's hard to think," she said. "But it's been a while since we've read any Shakespeare. Could you pick a play for us?"

"I think I may know just the one," he replied, making no move to let go of her. "An overly ambitious man gets put in charge and starts enforcing antiquated laws..."

"Sounds... appropriate," Victoria said, still holding on to him, feeling strangely content and happy despite the disappointments of the day.

Victoria closed her eyes so she could really take in the feeling of Diego holding her, of the joy of being surrounded by people who cared about her. She almost pitied De Soto that he had no comfort like this. Almost— she wasn't as noble as Diego. De Soto may have won a skirmish, but it was based on deceit and technicalities. Sooner or later, he would leave or get his comeuppance or both.

The events of the day were already beginning to seem like a distant memory. She had wanted to win, she really did. Still, being here with the man she loved reminded her that she hadn't lost what mattered most.

The End

**Next Up:** "Silk Purses and Sows Ears." More of a tag and after story really. But I've been struggling lately so I'm not sure when it will be ready.

**End Notes:** Historically speaking Los Angeles was one of three pueblos that had been given permission to elect their own alcaldes and town councils, a fact I stumbled across during my research and decided to actually use though not in any more a historically accurate fashion than the show did. Going on vague recollection, I seem to recall that there were places where all that was required was property ownership for someone to run for office which means that a woman would be eligible (and I do know there were several territories where women had the right to vote before they became states). But frankly, this episode is as anachronistic as anything the show ever did, so I'm not overly concerned with my own anachronisms, sad to say.

* * *

I definitely appreciate all forms of feedback here as this is really the most elaborate and over-complicated writing project that I've ever undertaken. And as things are starting to get more tied together I definitely want to know what you all think, especially if I've somehow dropped a plot thread that I need to get back to at some point. Some things I already know where and when they'll be brought up again, others I'm not so sure about. And I'm having a real struggle with some of the writing here, wondering if it's even working anymore or why I thought this was a good idea in the first place, especially since every time I think I can skip an episode, I find an even more compelling reason why I can't. I don't mean that I'm thinking of giving up; I am actually working on the next two stories right now. It's just that some of these stories are much harder to write than others, so if I know what I'm doing right, it should help a bit with the trouble spots.

* * *

Added: April 09, 2013

I think I was more than a bit frazzled when I wrote the notes here, but I'm feeling a bit better about it now. Hopefully the next two stories will be ready to go within the next month, and I'm so pleased that most people seem to be liking the low angst aspect of Victoria and Diego's relationship. I'm not really an angsty kind of writer and sometimes I wonder if that's a weakness or a strength. Anyway, thank you all for the kind encouragement; it definitely has helped. I'm still grateful for all feedback no matter how long a story has been up.


	16. After Silk Purses and Sow's Ears 1

**Disclaimer:** I am merely playing with the characters. I certainly have no claim on anything but my own ideas.

**Summary:** Sometimes fathers and sons have disagreements for good reasons, and sometimes it's good to have friends with connections.

**Author's Notes:** Feeling a little overwhelmed with what I was doing, I was going to skip this one entirely, but then I realized that Diego would have good reason to be upset with his father and that the events of this episode would tie in nicely with the themes of the last two stories. Also, I must apologize for the delay. I really thought this was going to be a short and easy story to write, but obviously the story just kept growing and changing into something different from what I originally planned.

Aside from the increasing complexity, my family also suffered a loss (actually two quite close together), which while not unexpected was somewhat painful, which of course made writing difficult, and might explain any air of melancholy that has seeped in at places, though I trust it doesn't overly hurt the story.

**An Officer and a Gentleman**

**(After Silk Purses and Sows Ears)**

**Part 1**

Diego walked out of De Soto's office shaking his head. It had been surprisingly easy to get De Soto to drop the idea of making him a lancer, though that probably had a lot to do with the fact that De Soto had won the bet and would prefer to gloat over that than have to put up with Diego's complete unsuitability (which he had been more than willing to demonstrate for as long as it took). His father walked toward him with a questioning glance and Diego simply raised and dropped his arms.

"Well, come on, Diego. How did it go?" Alejandro asked as they started walking towards the tavern.

"Well, it seems the Alcalde has no use whatsoever for the thinking soldier. He accused me of disloyalty and threw me out," Diego said, happy that his act had worked.

His father laughed. "That means you are off the hook, huh?"

"Yes," Diego replied, though he wasn't going to let his father forget that it was his doing. "A hook you put me on with that impulsive wager of yours."

"Well, I'm sorry about that, Diego," Alejandro said, though he didn't sound particularly sorry as he continued, "but you know sometimes impulsiveness is good for the soul. You should try it sometime."

Diego had to bite his tongue not to reply that impulsiveness could also have some unfortunate consequences, but instead said, "I proposed to Victoria on impulse."

"After weeks of debating on the subject and some encouragement from me," Alejandro retorted, then slapped Diego on the shoulder. "But I suppose it counts in a way."

Following his father inside, Diego was surprised to find himself becoming more rather than less angry. Seeing him joke with Mendoza who was still suffering from his disappointment at not becoming an officer— a disappointment that Diego felt his father had directly contributed by making that foolish bet. While it had been clear from the way De Soto had told Mendoza to lie on the form that the alcalde had not wanted Mendoza to succeed, Diego knew that it was the bet with his father that had certainly inspired him with greater determination to see that Mendoza failed.

Alejandro didn't seem to realize this, and Diego also recognized that he was even more angry because his father's bet meant that De Soto was still going to be collecting that sales tax, and that he— Zorro— was still going to have to fight it. So thanks to his father, Zorro had more rather than less work to look forward to. De Soto was most definitely the gloating type, and Alejandro's bet had somehow made the tax seem negotiable rather than illegal. It didn't help that Captain Dominguez seemed impressed by De Soto's actions. Diego felt that if it had been only one thing or the other it would have been easier to get rid of the tax, but with both, he needed a different plan.

Victoria had disappeared into the kitchen, and Diego took the opportunity to follow her. He didn't want to lose his temper with his father, but right now his father's light-hearted attitude was grating on his nerves.

"Diego, what's the matter?" Victoria asked.

"Just a bad mood, I'm afraid," Diego said. "And I don't particularly want to inflict it on anybody else. You and Felipe have to put up with enough as it is."

Victoria wrapped her arms around him. "You know I don't mind. You put up with my temper."

Diego kissed her forehead. "Yes, but you've already put up with enough. Besides, I need a little time to think. We've still got a tax to get rid of, and thanks to..." he bit off his words. "I think a long ride and some solitude will help chase this temper of mine away or at least bring it back to manageable levels. If my father asks where I've gone, tell him there's an experiment I've been neglecting that I wanted to get back to. I'll come up with something more thorough later."

"Don't do anything reckless," Victoria said.

"I think my father's been reckless enough for both of us the past week," Diego snapped out before he could stop himself. "Sorry, _querida_." He leaned down to kiss her. "I just need a little time alone. I'll come back this evening. It's definitely not you that I'm wanting to avoid."

"Ah, now I understand," Victoria said. "After all it was your future he was betting with, and I think I should have a little to say about that as well as you." She tightened her embrace for a moment before letting go. "All right. Go and clear your head, but I do expect you to come for dinner here tonight."

Diego was well aware of how furious she'd been when she heard about the bet, and it was only her own respect for his father that kept her from making a scene about it. She'd channeled her energy into helping him with his lessons for Mendoza, but he was aware she too had been close to snapping once the bet was lost. Another reason he wanted to be alone; he didn't want to exacerbate her temper with his own.

"You are truly an angel," he said lightly.

"With a streak of the devil," she teased, pulling him forward for a lingering kiss before sending him out the back door.

Not wanting to get his father's attention, Diego slipped quietly around to Esperanza and in moments was riding out of town.

~Z~Z~Z~

Some time later, Diego was sitting on a rock, sketchbook in hand. He'd decided that it would be better to have something to occupy him rather than simply sit and let his temper simmer. He found what he thought was an interesting rock formation to sketch but as he drew found himself working in a series of other pictures into the rocks as he thought through the irritation that was eating into him. Impulsiveness was certainly a family trait, but unlike his father, Diego didn't particularly find impulsiveness good for the soul.

Too often he'd been saved from the worst consequences of an impulsive decision by sheer luck or the aid of others. A quickly regretted kiss on a balcony that might have led to his involvement in a nasty scandal. That fortunately failed elopement with Zafira. Accepting a scented handkerchief from a treacherous lady. Believing a woman who claimed to be Felipe's mother without checking into it. And his own incredibly stupid idea of pushing a man into a boxing match which backfired spectacularly and required Zorro to undo the consequences.

Even his donning the mask to begin with was a bit of impulsiveness that he later had cause to regret. While he had done a lot of good for the people, he'd never meant to be wearing two disguises for years. If Victoria hadn't figured out the secret on her own, he knew they'd still be apart; he'd been too concerned about protecting her and his father to be willing to tell her on his own. And now that she knew, the only one who's not knowing genuinely hurt him was his father, but again his fears kept him silent. He had thought after his father's handling of the election that it might be time to tell him, but now, he knew that would be a terrible mistake.

Perhaps that was why he was feeling so angry. His father had disappointed him, more than once, in fact. First it had been his attitude towards Mendoza's desire to be an officer. While Diego was inclined to agree that Mendoza would not be anyone's first choice for an officer, he wasn't as hopeless or unqualified as his father had implied either. He had been a little shocked by his father's insistence that being a gentleman was in the blood. This was the man who had taught him not to judge people based on their birth but by their actions, the same man who'd seemed thrilled at the thought of Victoria becoming his daughter-in-law.

Mendoza was a good man. He may have made more than a few mistakes during that period when they were without an alcalde, but Diego didn't think that meant that he was incapable of learning. And then after expressing doubts when Diego had offered to teach Mendoza the manners of a caballero, he went and made a bet saying that Diego would help Mendoza win his commission. Even Diego wouldn't have guaranteed it in the short time frame they had for preparation, and his father, who hadn't believed it at all, bet as if it were a sure thing. Diego would have found that sudden faith touching if he hadn't seen it was more de la Vega pride and anger talking, and if he hadn't been made part of the bet.

That's another part he couldn't get over. His father arbitrarily putting his son's future on the line to satisfy his own pride. Diego couldn't believe that he hadn't realized that there were so many ways for De Soto to make sure he won despite the best efforts on his own and Mendoza's part. After all, his father had been an officer. Surely he realized how easy it would be for De Soto to sabotage Mendoza's chances. But, no, his father thought only of winning and goading the man. Or more precisely, he didn't think at all. Not about Mendoza's disappointment. Not about the people affected by the tax. Not about his son or Victoria. Not once through the whole business. And if this was how he behaved when he didn't know his son was Zorro, what madness might he be encouraged in if he did know?

Damn. This wasn't getting any better. Diego's sketch now included a gallows, the rope of which stretched around the edges of the rocks, and he wasn't feeling any calmer. How was it that he could smile in the face of two evil men and their insults yet end up hiding out here because he wasn't sure he could hide his anger from his father? For once, he wished things were the other way round. Though he hated disappointing his father, it was better than being angry with him. And he was still very angry. Perhaps it was a mistake to think so much about it. Diego should be thinking about how to make sure the sales tax got rescinded.

He did have an option that he wasn't entirely comfortable exploiting, though he wasn't sure why. Ernesto Moraga, one of his friends from the University, had recently written him that he got a position as an investigator for the governor's office of municipal finance oversight. A position Diego suspected had been given to him to get him out of Monterey as much as possible, since he was very much a stickler for the law and very persistent in pointing out the foolishness of wresting illegal taxes when the legal ones properly applied would generate sufficient revenue. As his uncle was a former governor who still wielded a great deal of influence, he couldn't be simply dismissed, and he refused to stay confined among the papers. But the governor certainly didn't mind shake ups in the smaller pueblos where there had been fiscal difficulties, particularly if they drew attention away from any of his pet fiscal indiscretions.

They had been corresponding since their returns from Spain, Ernesto having returned six months after Diego. Diego had heard about Ernesto's struggles in government service, and Diego had mostly confined himself to what experiments he'd been working on as well as his art, though he had finally mentioned Victoria once they were publicly courting. In one of his first letters, written not that long after he'd donned the mask, he'd also implied in a way that only Ernesto would understand that he was trying to live peacefully and thus letting no one know exactly what he'd learned from Sir Edmund while in Spain. Something he knew Ernesto would understand, as his approach to self-defense was to try to avoid it and if he couldn't avoid it, have his opponents underestimate him. While he'd never been close to Diego in skill, Ernesto could defend himself adequately using cunning over brute strength.

So why did the thought of getting his old friend to come to Los Angeles to investigate the alcalde's delinquencies bother him? It wasn't Zorro that concerned him. Ernesto had made it clear enough that he admired what the bandit was doing and said that the last thing he'd want or accept was the job of hunting the man down. And it wasn't that he'd reveal too much about his college days around town. While he wasn't shy about quoting laws and regulations to the point of boring the listener into unconsciousness, Ernesto tended to be far more cautious about other kinds of information. And then the answer hit him with a wave of shame that buried all the anger he'd been feeling. It was his father. He didn't really want to risk Ernesto revealing too much to his father.

He'd been hiding a significant portion of his life since he'd come home. What he'd learned, what he'd done at the university beyond the arts and sciences that his father already knew that he loved and which was safe for him to know. But there had been so many other things he'd done that he'd kept to himself, things that might give his father too strong a hint about Zorro. Things that Ernesto might reveal in all innocence. So much he hadn't told him. And now, he wasn't sure when he could.

However, he couldn't let his fear of his father learning too much stop him from taking advantage of an opportunity. From Ernesto's last letter, Diego knew that Ernesto's work was taking him south as he planned to be in San Diego for the Christmas season. By this time he should be in Buenaventura and easy to reach to invite to spend a couple of days investigating Los Angeles's tax situation. If he sent a fast and reliable messenger, there would be a good chance for Ernesto to arrive within a week, and perhaps Zorro wouldn't have to do too much interference.

Feeling slightly relieved now that he had a plan however vague it was, Diego decided to put away his sketching and go back to the newspaper office to write the letter inviting his friend. Besides, it was getting later, and Victoria was expecting him to go to the tavern for dinner.

~Z~Z~Z~

The ride back to the pueblo was uneventful, and he was relieved to see his father's horse was already gone. Despite the fact that his anger had been tempered by his feelings of guilt, he still wasn't in the right frame of mind to face his father. Perhaps once his message was on its way he'd be better able to deal with this. After all, was it fair to hold a grudge when he too had made more than his share of impulsive mistakes? When he'd spent years lying to his own father? He tried to ignore the little voice that told him that he'd learned from _his _mistakes, and that he'd just had proof that the lying _had_ been necessary.

Once he was in the newspaper office, Diego locked the door and settled down to compose a letter to Ernesto, one that would convey the current fiscal irregularities as well as extending an invitation to have him visit the pueblo to determine the truth himself. He took his time writing the letter, wanting to be sure it was as thorough and accurate as possible and calculated to appeal to Ernesto's by the book approach to law.

When he was done, he carefully blotted the letter and sealed it before putting it in his jacket pocket. In the morning he would have a talk with Domingo and see if he would be willing to make the trip to Buenaventura to deliver the invitation personally. This week Diego wasn't sure he could afford the time to go himself as he couldn't be certain that Ernesto had arrived yet, and Zorro was likely to be needed to deal with De Soto's tax collection. He knew Domingo could be trusted to see that the letter made it to its destination intact. He was not going to let any selfish concerns about what Ernesto might reveal to his father interfere with a chance to get De Soto to back down.

It was in this more determined frame of mind that he left the newspaper office and started walking toward the tavern. He hadn't made it more than a few yards when he saw the very man he wanted to talk to approaching the newspaper office. Feeling as though fate was smiling in his favor for once as they went back into the office, Diego asked Domingo if he would be willing to take the message for him. Domingo had the time and was willing enough considering what Diego was offering him for the job and promised to leave first thing in the morning. After he'd given him the letter, Diego crossed the plaza feeling relieved though a little trepidatious now that the letter was out of his hands. His mood was made even lighter by Victoria's smile when he walked through the door. He kissed her hand in greeting.

"Your solitude seems to have improved your temper," she said..

"I simply needed time to get some perspective, and seeing you is enough to do the rest," he replied.

She smiled brightly at him. "I'm glad to see you too," she said, then stepped closer to him. "If you're willing to wait an hour for dinner, I thought I'd close the tavern early so we can have dinner alone this evening."

"There's nothing I'd like better," Diego replied.

"Good," Victoria replied. "Despite it all, I feel like celebrating."

Diego smiled. "There is much for which to be grateful, perhaps least of all that De Soto has no use for a thinking soldier. Now is there anything you need for me to do or would you rather me stay out of the way?"

"There's nothing I need you to do except be patient, and you are so very good at that," she said softly.

Leaning forward, he whispered in her ear, "Not nearly as patient as I should be."

"I'm sure you can find a way to pass the time," she said, moving away and back to the kitchen, tossing him a bright smile before disappearing behind the curtains.

With a rueful grin, Diego looked around the room. There were only a few people still eating. He was relieved to see that De Soto was not among them, as he'd only just gotten his temper back in order. He wasn't sure how he felt about not seeing Mendoza. At the moment he didn't really know what to say to his friend. "Sorry my father was partially responsible for your failure to get a commission" was out of the question. As well as "count your good fortune that you're not stuck with trying to turn me into a lancer." He shook his head slightly as he went to sit in the back corner and pulled his sketch pad out of his pocket.

He opened it to a fresh page and started working on a new drawing of Victoria. He had no idea how many pictures of her he had drawn over the years, and most of them were still hidden away in the cave. She was always his favorite subject, and by now he could have drawn her in the dark from memory. This one was her in motion, spinning in a dance; he wasn't sure why, but working on it was enough of a distraction that he hadn't registered that the last of the patrons had left until he heard Victoria locking the front door.

She smiled at him when he looked up at her, crossing the room before he had time to do more than put his sketch pad down. "And what has you so distracted?" she asked, moving around to lean over his shoulder to look at his drawing.

"As always, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he said, turning her hand towards him in order to kiss the palm tenderly.

"And she would rather be distracting you personally," Victoria replied, planting a kiss next to his ear.

"You are very distracting, _mi preciosa_," he said, reaching up to caress her cheek before pulling her closer to kiss her.

Eventually, Victoria whispered in his ear, "Our dinner is getting cold."

At the moment, he didn't care if he ever ate again but recalling himself, said, "We can't have that, can we? Not when you've gone to so much trouble."

"Oh, it wasn't so much trouble," she replied as she ran one hand teasingly down his arm before starting towards the kitchen.

He stood up quickly, grabbing her hand before she got out of range. "Let me help."

"There's nothing left to be done," she said, standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek before leading him into the kitchen. She _had _actually gone to some trouble, setting up the table in the kitchen with a table cloth and flowers and its own candles. "Do you mind eating in the kitchen?" she asked. "It was so much easier to get things ready here while I was dealing with the last of the customers."

Diego looked around with a smile, his eye almost automatically drifting up to the window that he climbed out of more times he could count "Of course not, this kitchen holds rather fond memories for me," he said softly.

"And for me as well," Victoria replied. She went over and uncovered the plates, while Diego went over to pull out her chair for her.

"This looks wonderful," he said as they sat down. "I've been looking forward to having some of your enchiladas."

"I once promised you the best you've ever eaten," Victoria said.

"And these certainly are," Diego said after taking a bite. "I've always loved your cooking." He smiled at her. "I'm sorry for rushing off earlier. Did my father say anything?"

"Not much, though he does know you're having dinner with me. He didn't really notice you'd left for a while, and by the time he did, he was more distracted by the arrival of our alcalde who did not let the opportunity to gloat a little pass him by."

Diego instantly tensed up, but then relaxed when he realized if something bad had happened, Victoria would have told him immediately and not brought it up casually an hour after she'd seen him.

"So what did my father do?" Diego asked, hoping that what Victoria considered not worth mentioning really was that inconsequential.

"For a moment, I thought he was going to throw his gloves in the alcalde's face, but he didn't. He actually got control of himself and instead politely (under the circumstances) said goodbye to me and left for home. I think you would have been proud of him," she said.

That was an unusual show from his father, but then again he _had _lost that bet and might have seen that as part of his price for losing. Diego wished he could rely on his father's temper, but it was too unpredictable. "I suppose we can hope that a little misplaced impulsiveness is good for his self-control. I know it always has been for me."

"That sounds like the beginning of an interesting story," Victoria said, with a teasing smile.

"Several not so interesting stories, most of which you already know," Diego replied. "I couldn't help but remember some of them while I was out sketching." Not wanting to give her a chance to press the question since he really didn't want to talk about the ones she didn't know about, he added, "I hope the alcalde didn't give you any trouble."

"No," Victoria said, but there was a gleam in her eye that said she knew exactly what he was doing and would come back to the subject later. "Just his usual brand of pomposity. Though he did make some comments about your day dreaming nature." She giggled slightly. "I'm sorry. But when you were talking about cloud formations, I think he thought you'd gone mad. It was probably that more than everything else that convinced him he didn't want you as a soldier."

"Well, I had to draw his attention somehow so that you or Felipe could get the door closed."

"I'm sorry that Felipe ended up having to do it, but it was a mesmerizing performance," she said.

"I'm glad you found it entertaining," Diego said.

"Oh, sí. Especially getting insight into what pops into your head when you don't have time to think it out. So you really think that fantasizing is helpful to the mind?" she asked in a flirtatious voice.

"It can be," he replied, "especially when action would be unwise." Also, he wasn't about to say that he'd had to stop himself from saying Victoria dressed as Venus going to the baths, something that should never be said in public and not mentioned in private for another six months. A long six months away. And right now, he needed a distraction from what he really wanted to do, so it seemed the best time to mention his letter to Ernesto. "I think I may have come up with a means of ridding ourselves of the sales tax."

"Really?"

"Yes," he said, before telling her about the letter he'd written his old friend, hoping to catch him while he was within an easy travel distance of Los Angeles.

"You're sure this is a good idea?" Victoria asked. "I mean if he went to the university with you then..." she broke off.

"I trust him. And he understands very well why I wouldn't want anyone to know everything I learned; he prefers not to advertise what he's learned as well," Diego said. "It should be fine." He paused to push away his fear of what Ernesto might reveal to his father. "And while we can be sure that Zorro will ride to fight this tax, I'd rather try a more legal solution, since Ignacio does seem far more permanently susceptible to authority figures."

"That's true. And it would make a change to have one more firmly on the side of the law," Victoria said.

"That's Ernesto," Diego replied, "though we can't expect him to do more than deal with some of the current tax issues. There's definitely too many contradictory forces in the government to expect more than that."

"But that's something," she said. "And a very important something at that."

"True, it is one of our biggest problems."

"Aside from an alcalde willing to hang innocent people to try to make himself look good," Victoria said.

Diego frowned. "That is true. I still find it hard to believe that he was really going to hang José as Zorro— using black satin that could be found in almost any home. Just because he was desperate to impress the governor." This overeagerness to condemn a man with the weakest possible proof was De Soto's most abhorrent quality. Taxes could be undone; murdering a man could not. Perhaps Ernesto could ease one burden on the pueblo, but there was still this to be dealt with.

Victoria obviously regretting the dark turn the conversation had taken, reached out to cover his hand with her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Well, he didn't succeed— again. Now tell me about your friend. You know, you still haven't told me much about your university days, and there isn't any reason anymore why you can't," she said adding in a teasing tone, "is there? I mean aside from whatever embarrassing tales you don't want me to hear from your aunt and uncle."

Shaking away his heavier thoughts, Diego smiled at her and lifted her hand for a kiss. "No, there's no real reason, simply habit," he said. Having to hide so much for so long, it simply wasn't natural to him to bring up events from those days, even with Victoria. "Let's see. Ernesto and I first met on the voyage to Spain as we were both starting the university at the same time. Well, technically, we actually met in a shop in San Diego which is where he started from. Neither of us thought we had enough to read on the voyage, and we literally bumped into each other because we were too busy looking through the available books to pay attention to our surroundings."

"I didn't think you got that lost in books," Victoria said.

"Occasionally," he said. "Besides I knew I didn't have much time so it was easy to ignore everything else."

"And he was doing the same."

"Yes, it was a rather prosaic meeting, I'm afraid, and once we found out we were both going to the University, we coordinated our book buying so there weren't any duplicates, and we exchanged books during the voyage which was rather uneventful. But with the close quarters, it was definitely a case of either becoming friends or mortal enemies, and neither of us were of the particular temperament to want an enemy."

"So you became friends," Victoria said.

"It was easier, even though he was far more interested in law and economics, and I preferred the arts and sciences. It didn't matter. We'd talk about what mutually interested us and occasionally bored each other with what didn't. And as two Californians in Madrid it was natural for us to continue the friendship, especially as we both had the same philosophy when it came to study. Not a very dramatic story, I'm afraid."

"Not a very dramatic _beginning_," Victoria corrected. "Knowing you, I rather expect there were more than a few adventures along the way to justify the trust you have in him."

"Perhaps a few," Diego admitted. "But I think they can wait until another time." They were both almost done with their dinner.

"I'll hold you to that," she said. "I do have some flan for dessert, though it no longer seems to be your favorite." She teased him as she brought the plates to the table.

"Now, that's not quite true, Victoria," Diego replied in an equally teasing tone, raising one hand to caress her cheek. "It's simply that there's nothing I find sweeter than your kiss." He leaned forward to kiss her.

She smiled at him. "Perhaps we should do a comparison after we've eaten the flan. Certainly it should be sweeter then, don't you think?"

"You're right," he said, as he settled back in his chair and picked up his spoon. It was somewhat difficult to concentrate on his own dessert while he was watching Victoria eating hers. His earlier good intentions seemed to be fading rapidly, though somehow he managed to finish eating without making an exhibition of himself.

Having finished the last spoonful, without a word, Victoria stood up and walked next to him. Threading her fingers into his hair, she leaned over and kissed him. It _was_ sweeter. He wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her closer. She almost fell but ended up sitting on his lap instead. They sat looking at each other for a moment before Victoria with a smile kissed him again. Diego reached up to cradle her cheeks in his hands as he kissed her. It was getting more difficult to restrain himself, but Diego kissed her forehead, before leaning back, one hand still resting gently against her cheek.

"I'll need to leave soon," he whispered.

"Why?" Victoria asked softly. "All my guest rooms are free. You could stay in your usual room."

Resolutely pushing aside the thoughts of what he and Victoria could do all alone in an empty tavern, Diego said, "As tempting as that is, I should go home. But I'll help you with the dishes first."

Victoria sighed and leaned against his shoulder. "You don't have to. There's not much left to be done."

Diego placed a kiss on the top of her head, tightening his arms around her. "I'd like to; I don't want to leave you with any extra work tonight. If you don't trust me to wash, I can dry."

"All right," Victoria said, tilting her head back to kiss the corner of his jaw, before moving to stand up.

He gathered up the plates and utensils and brought them to the basin she used for washing dishes. She was right that there wasn't much left to be done, and she did have him drying the dishes. Afterwards, they returned to the main room of the tavern where he helped her dowse the candles in the chandelier. Idly as the candles went out, Diego wondered what things might be like if he were marrying into her life instead of her into his. Would he adapt as easily? He'd like to think so, but he couldn't be certain. After the candles were out, he raised the chandelier back into place and looked at Victoria, beautiful in the dim light of the candle they'd brought with them. Six more months and there'd be no need for them to part at all.

They walked to the door together and looked at each other, not saying a word. Taking her hands in his, Diego leaned down to give her one last kiss, gentle but full of longing.

"I love you, Victoria," he said.

"And I love you, Diego," she replied, moving to hug him tightly. "Be careful on the ride home."

"I will, and I'll see you tomorrow, though I can't be sure of the time."

Victoria nodded as she stepped back, and Diego opened the door. He lifted her hand for a kiss and said a final good night before stepping outside, waiting only long enough to hear her lock the door before making his way to Esperanza. He took his time getting home, still wanting to avoid his father, despite the lightening of his mood.

~Z~Z~Z~

After a long and restless night punctuated by the most disturbing dreams, Diego's tendency to late rising helped him again. His father had already ridden out on some errand by the time he'd emerged from his room. After breakfast, he slipped down to the cave. He had no idea what was going to happen over the next several days, but he knew he needed to be prepared for anything. He spent most of the morning working on a fresh set of smoke bombs as well as a few more explosive charges, while overseeing Felipe's lessons which had been somewhat neglected lately.

It was an engrossing way to spend the morning, even as he kept getting distracted by various thoughts. Firstly, that rather than spending his time create more weapons to protect Zorro, he'd have preferred to be doing more experiments with fireworks, but he was unlikely to get the opportunity to use those again too soon.

He far preferred the idea of creating something beautiful rather than destructive. Perhaps if things worked out with Ernesto and the tax, he could get the time to devote to creating those fireworks. He'd been wanting to experiment more with creating different colors. It was a pity that he couldn't show his interest in them openly as Diego, but unfortunately any form of explosives belonged to Zorro. And sadly experiments in photography too, though he felt he could get around the fact that Zorro had done that eventually. Curiosity about how it was done would work.

It was frustrating that he had to hide a large part of his scientific interests. However, he did take pleasure in the fact that he didn't have to hide his interest in medicine or ways to improve crops. Very few of his experiments were pointless as his father thought. It was true that sometimes they failed or backfired or produced no practical result, but that didn't make them useless. On the contrary, even a failure told him something. But he never had enough time to do all that he wanted.

However, he certainly couldn't regret one of the biggest reasons that he hadn't enough time. After all, Victoria was far more entrancing than even the most intricate puzzle or mystery. Six more months and she would be his wife. No more worries about how to behave. What was temptation now would be proper behavior then. Oh, he was weary of having to guard himself, and it was becoming so much more difficult with each passing day. How had he managed for three years to put off the thought of marriage with Victoria? It must have been a form of insanity, especially considering what a warm and passionate lady she was. He dreamed of her almost nightly, and those dreams were anything but chaste or conducive to bolstering his self-control.

Diego only realized how much he had been daydreaming when he saw Felipe watching him with a cheeky grin.

"All right," he said, closing the book in front him and making a show of checking his watch. "I think we've done enough."

Still smiling Felipe made a series of gestures the last of which made Diego raise an eyebrow.

"Yes, I was planning to eat lunch at the tavern, and as to the rest, I have nothing whatever to say, except the tavern's a busy place at lunch, and I have no intention of making a spectacle of myself— or Victoria." He shook his head a bit. Felipe was definitely a young man now, and he was no longer shy about jokes at Diego's expense. As the two of them headed out of the cave, he wondered if he needed to have another talk with him soon, even if he hadn't seemed to notice another girl since Keenona had left the mission school. If nothing else, Diego wanted to know where he was getting some of the information he was using to tease him with.

Nevertheless on the ride to town, he decided to tell Felipe about his letter to Ernesto and was not surprised to see that his concern was mostly about Zorro. Diego reassured him as best he could, leaving out his real fears about Ernesto's visit, not wanting to bring up the subject of his father. Felipe had born the brunt of his anxieties for years. It wasn't fair to him, and he certainly didn't want to burden him any more than he did, especially in regards to his father, who had looked after Felipe in those years he'd been away.

When they entered the tavern, Diego realized he had been right. The tavern was crowded despite the fact that it was on the later side for lunch. Good for Victoria's business, bad for him to spend any time with her, especially since she wasn't visible at the moment. However they had had a private dinner the night before, and as he remembered certain parts of the evening with great fondness, he suddenly needed to turn his thoughts quickly and found a welcome distraction in the form of Sergeant Mendoza, who apparently had just ordered his lunch.

"_Buenas días,_ Sergeant," Diego said brightly. "The tavern's quite full today. May we join you?"

Mendoza smiled broadly, assuming correctly that Diego would buy his lunch. "Of course, Don Diego, Felipe."

"You seem in good spirits today," Diego said.

"Oh, sí. The alcalde has decided to wait a few days before trying to collect the sales tax again. He says it's so that everyone gets the news, but..." Mendoza leaned forward a little. "I think he's just realized that Zorro isn't going to accept the sales tax just because he won a bet with your father..."

"True," Diego said with a sudden repressed annoyance. "Zorro isn't bound by anyone's foolish wager." _Though I would have been if I hadn't managed to talk my way out of it. Another good reason my father doesn't know._ "I am glad to hear everyone gets a reprieve." He hoped that it would be more than a few days, but Domingo should be in Buenaventura now. If Ernesto was there, he could get an answer back by tomorrow. With good luck Ernesto would arrive before De Soto got up his courage to try to collect the tax, and Zorro wouldn't have to ride, but he'd still be ready for whatever might happen.

"Sí, it's much nicer to be sitting here waiting for Señorita Victoria's tamales than out riding for hours," Mendoza said.

At that moment, Victoria emerged from the kitchen, and Diego's focus immediately shifted. He loved the way her eyes sparkled and the smile that appeared on her face when she saw him. He stood up when she approached the table and kissed her hand.

"_Buenas días_, Victoria," he said. "You look radiant as well as busy today."

She smiled at him. "_Gracias_, Diego, though I don't know how I can look radiant on such a day. It _has_ been very busy." She looked around for a moment. "But I'm glad to see you here nonetheless. What would you and Felipe like for lunch?"

"For myself whatever is most readily available; you know I love all your cooking. As for Felipe..." He looked at his young friend who signed that he didn't care either; he was hungry.

"All right, I'll hold you to that," she said. "It shouldn't be too long." She turned and disappeared again, skirts swirling around her. He could watch her forever. It took effort for him to turn his attention back to Mendoza and his conversation.

While he hoped to see Victoria again, it was Alicia who brought out their lunches, and Diego was a somewhat abstracted conversationalist, though it didn't matter as Mendoza needed little encouragement to continue talking. Diego was glad that he didn't seem to be dwelling on his own loss, though he did finally tell Diego what it was that had ruined the interview. A single comment about a nose. A ridiculous thing that shouldn't have done anything, but De Soto knew and prompted Mendoza and thus won the bet, yet Mendoza didn't seem to hold a grudge. One thing Diego admired about Mendoza was his ability to be content with his life, even serving under a tyrannical alcalde who'd just sabotaged his chances of becoming an officer. Diego had played the fool for a long time, but he very much doubted he'd have been able to stomach all that Mendoza had to endure as a royal lancer under bad commanders.

Once Felipe was done, he signed that he wanted to leave, saying he had some errands. Diego let him go, only telling him that he was probably going to linger in town, and there was no reason why he should wait for him once he was done. Felipe just nodded and smiled before going, and Diego returned to the conversation with Mendoza, while still watching Victoria every time she emerged from the kitchen. However, as she still seemed very busy, even as the crowds thinned, he contented himself with simply watching her. Mendoza left not too long before siesta was to begin, and Diego took the next opportunity to speak to Victoria.

"Do you mind if I stay longer?" he asked.

Looking tired, Victoria said, "I'd like that, but I won't be the best company."

"_Querida_, you can never be anything but the best company," Diego replied with a smile. "However, I have no objections to simply sitting with you." He bent closer so that no one would overhear. "I even volunteer my shoulder for you to lean against."

Victoria's eyes brightened a bit. "That sounds very... comforting," she said. "Then by all means stay."

"_Gracias_," he said, lifting her hand for another kiss before going back to sit down again. It wasn't much longer before the last customers were leaving, and Victoria was locking up the tavern.

"Done at last," she said, turning away.

"You do look tired," Diego said, reaching to embrace her in a hug, glad to hold her for a moment.

"It's been a busy day," she said, taking his hand to lead him back to the tavern's one private sitting room which on rare occasions she'd let guests use, but which was meant to be the family's retreat, though she'd rarely used it.

Despite that, it was still well aired. Diego dropped Victoria's hand just long enough to open the shutters on the window to let in the afternoon light, then moved over to the sofa, where he and Victoria sat down.

"I believe I offered you a shoulder to lean on," he said, holding out his arms.

With a smile, Victoria slid closer and turned to lean back comfortably against him, stretching her legs out against the sofa. For the moment, Diego let his arm rest across the top of the sofa, but as he saw her furrowed brow he reached to gently rub her temples.

"That is very pleasant," Victoria murmured.

He kissed the top of her head, not stopping the massage. "You seem to have had a trying morning."

"No, simply busy," she said.

"It seems as if you need more help," he said quietly.

"True, but not all the time, and that is the difficulty," she said, eyes still closed. "However, I'm working on that. It seems that Alicia's younger sister Teresa is willing to work part time if needed. She'll be coming this afternoon which should be a little less busy and easier to show her what needs to be done."

"That sounds sensible," Diego said. "I hate to see you so overworked when you don't need to be."

Victoria reached up and grabbed hold of one of his hands and pulled it to her mouth to kiss his palm before moving it back to her temple. "It's my choice. If I could only find a decent manager..."

His palm still tingling from her kiss, Diego's hands moved into her hair, trying to soothe away her cares. "Still no luck?"

"Not yet," she said, moving slightly to get more comfortable. "It is difficult since I haven't yet heard from either of my brothers, but if I could find the right person I wouldn't let that interfere." She sighed a little. "Your hands are very soothing."

"And at your command," he said, though he knew he couldn't use them exactly as he wished. He leaned down to place another light kiss this time on her forehead.

She opened her eyes for a moment and smiled at him in a way that made it seem as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. Then she closed her eyes and relaxed again. "It seems like the only people interested in managing the tavern are men that I wouldn't trust anywhere near the cashbox. Ideally, I'd love an older married couple, but there's no one around here that wants the job, and with our alcalde, Los Angeles isn't the most tempting place to draw in new people."

"Unfortunately, true, and I'm afraid I haven't been much help, but I do know my father's been trying among his old military friends. To a retired soldier or sailor, Los Angeles might not be unappealing."

"Yes, that would be the next best thing," she said. "I still have time, though I would ideally have some one by March." Her voice was becoming quite drowsy.

"March?" he asked, letting his hands rest on her shoulder.

"Before we're too involved in the final wedding preparations," she said. She reached up and pulled one of his arms down and around her waist.

He let his arm rest lightly against her, as she shifted slightly. He could tell she was nearly asleep and decided to let her rest, as he let his thoughts drift. It was true that Victoria would be having a lot more to do with the wedding getting so close, and that having to oversee a new manager would only add to the stress. He wished he had better contacts, but this _was_ one area where his father's experience and contacts were far superior to his own, and his father had been writing to almost everyone he thought might be able to give him a lead to someone who would fill Victoria's basic requirements.

Diego repressed a sigh when he thought about how he could both rely on his father doing everything he could for both of them and yet couldn't trust his pride or his temper not to unwittingly expose them to danger. He really needed to let his irritation go. After all nothing was changing. He would rely on his father's forthright nature to be exactly as it always was and remember he was an honorable man who would do all for his family. In a way he was following in his father's footsteps, trying to protect them all, even from his own failures of temper.

After all, _he_ was the one who was concealing such a large part of who he was from his father, so that he didn't know what to expect from him. Maybe someday, he would be able to retire Zorro, and then it would be safe to tell his father, not before. Besides he had Felipe's support and Victoria's love which was more than he'd ever expected. And if he could just accept that and not hope for things that shouldn't happen, life would be much simpler for them all. Having two out of the three most important people in his life know him as he really was wasn't such a bad thing, and he did try to disappoint his father less.

He looked down at Victoria, who now seemed fast asleep. She was so beautiful and with an inner strength he'd barely begun to understand. He'd been such a fool to hide from her for so long. From the moment she'd learned his secret she'd helped him in such unexpected ways. He'd expected her knowing would make things more dangerous, but instead she'd become a partner whose aid and support was every bit as important to him as Felipe's. While he was still afraid of what might happen if Zorro were ever captured, he couldn't bring himself to regret her knowing. Her love had become absolutely necessary to him.

He was starting to become drowsy himself and for a moment wondered if he should try slipping off the sofa, but Victoria looked very comfortable, and he loved holding her. Gently he tried to adjust his position so that he could get comfortable himself without disturbing her. Soon he too was asleep.

~tbc~


	17. After Silk Purses and Sow's Ears 2

**An Officer and a Gentleman**

**(After Silk Purses and Sows Ears)**

**Part 2**

About an hour later, Diego woke. His head had been at an awkward angle, and his neck was rather stiff. There were some distinct disadvantages to being tall, he thought as he rubbed at the back of his neck trying not to disturb the still sleeping Victoria, unsuccessfully. Drowsily, she opened her eyes and looked up at him, unconsciously letting one hand drop onto his thigh. He froze, hand still at the back of his neck, and his feelings weren't helped by the way Victoria was looking at him with half-opened eyes. His arm tightened around her waist almost involuntarily. He'd spent most of his life practicing self-control, yet he was finding it harder and harder to remember to be a gentleman with his beautiful fiancée.

Victoria moved her hand up to his chest, still without having registered where she'd rested it. Her fingers resting on the skin exposed by his open collar. "You make a very comfortable pillow," she whispered. "Though you really shouldn't."

"I long for the day when I can serve that function, day or night," he said with an attempt at a laugh, though he was completely serious. As he moved his head, he felt an additional twinge in his neck and didn't quite hide it from her.

"Are you all right, Diego?" Victoria asked, pushing herself away from him slightly and looking at him with concern.

Diego tried to make light of it. "Alas, I don't find that I make a comfortable pillow for myself."

Staring at the sofa and then him, she said, "No, you can't have been very comfortable." She slid off the sofa, stretching slightly as she stood. Diego closed his eyes in order to not stare. Placing one hand on his shoulder, Victoria walked around behind him. Running her other hand firmly down the back of his neck, she asked, "Where does it hurt?"

Diego almost had to bite his tongue not to give the first answer that popped into his head. This was no way to think while they weren't yet married. "Victoria, there's no need," he said, after a short pause to pull his self control back together.

"Don't be silly," Victoria replied, resting her hands on his shoulders and giving a gentle squeeze. "You did the same for me and let me sleep while you got sore. Let me return the favor. Now where?" Victoria's voice was determined.

Unable to say anything more, Diego indicated where his neck was hurting. Victoria had a deft touch. Probably all those years of kneading bread, he thought wryly, even as he tried not to embarrass himself by making a sound and to distract himself from just how well she was easing his pains, at least some of them.

"Have you seen your father since yesterday?" she asked.

That was enough to redirect his errant thoughts. "No," he said softly. "He wasn't up when I got home and was gone before I woke."

"So you're not still avoiding him," she said..

"Not anymore," Diego finally said. "For some reason I simply needed more time to be ready to act as normal. I should be fine now."

Victoria's hands stilled on his shoulders. "You've decided against telling him after all," she said quietly.

This was the one matter on which they'd never been in agreement, and he understood why. There was certainly a resemblance in Victoria and his father's temperaments, something she'd been quick to point out during the few times they'd discussed the question. Diego felt lucky she'd forgiven him for deceiving her and that she was willing to let him decide when or if he would tell his father. He wondered if his father would be able to forgive him, once it was safe for him to tell him the truth, but he was still more convinced than ever that the time was not now.

"How can I?" he whispered, not wanting to say all the doubts he had and knowing that even alone they'd still need to be circumspect.

"Perhaps if he knew, he'd be more cautious," Victoria said. "After all you are his only son."

"I was his only son before he made that bet," Diego bit out. Apparently his anger hadn't yet gone entirely. "I'm sorry, Victoria." He reached up to take her hand. "I wish it didn't have to be this way, but I can't risk our lives on this."

"But shouldn't he have the chance to know?" Victoria asked.

Diego turned in his seat and looked up at her, suddenly struck with a memory, sharp and painful. Gently tugging on her hand, he encouraged her to come sit beside him again. "I did try once."

"What? When?" she asked, barely managing to keep her voice low.

"When he was shot," he said. He looked down at Victoria's hand in his. She'd been a great source of comfort then, even acting as a friend. He loved her all the more for her compassion, though he couldn't say a thing. "I remember you telling me that I was a good son, but I knew I wasn't, and wanting him to know in case..." He stopped; he'd been very afraid that his father was going to die. Victoria moved her hand to his shoulder. Diego pulled himself together. It had been more than two years since that incident. In a lighter though still soft voice, he said, "So I told him, and when he woke he thought he'd been dreaming, since it was too ridiculous to be true." When Diego noticed the expression on Victoria's face, he hastened to add, "He did also say that he was happy with my being his son even if I wasn't..." It didn't really make things better. "It was a long time ago."

"But it clearly still stings," she said.

"Perhaps a little," Diego admitted, "but honestly, I hadn't thought about it for a long time. And things are different now. Father doesn't think I'm so hopeless anymore." He smiled at Victoria and leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "He certainly thinks I have impeccable taste when it comes to choosing a wife. And he has let me take on more of the paperwork, since he's always hated it."

"And you're very good with it," Victoria said. "Your father has said as much to me."

"That is something at least," Diego said. Then he sighed. "And speaking of the paperwork, I've just remembered that with everything that's happened in the last few days that I've gotten behind with the books, and there are a few things I'll need to speak with my father about in the next few days."

Victoria moved her hand to his cheek. "I take it that means you need to leave," she said.

He closed his eyes a moment to simply enjoy the sensation of her touch. "Unfortunately," he said. Opening his eyes, he added, "Victoria, I know you're busy tonight and possibly tomorrow, but would you come to dinner the day after?"

"I would love to," Victoria said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. As she sat back, she suddenly smiled at him flirtatiously. "You know, I believe I was rather preoccupied last night, and I've just realized that I never asked when you thought your friend might arrive."

"I can't be sure, but I'm hoping within a week," Diego replied, before grinning wickedly at her in return. "Can I ask what in particular preoccupied you?"

"Oh, I'd say the handsome caballero sitting next to me," Victoria replied. "The one I'm very much looking forward to marrying in less than six months time."

"And he's very much looking forward to marrying you," Diego said, kissing her lips gently, trying very much to keep things light as he was about to leave. As he straightened back up, he wondered if his father would think impulsiveness so good for the soul if he tried convincing Victoria to elope. Somehow he doubted it.

Victoria leaned against him for a moment before standing up, Diego following her. As they walked towards the front of the tavern, Victoria asked, "Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Probably not before the evening," Diego reluctantly replied. "But I will try."

"That's all I ask," Victoria said.

Victoria unbolted the front door, and the two of them stood there a moment staring at one another. Then unable to resist despite his resolve to be sensible, Diego pulled her close for a passionate kiss before saying goodbye and leaving for home.

~Z~Z~Z~

When Diego arrived home after seeing to Esperanza, he went straight to his room. Normally, he kept and worked on the rancho's records and accounts in the library. It made it easier for him to either slip out when he needed to or to catch his father's attention when required. However, at the beginning of this, when De Soto was starting his house to house search for evidence of Zorro or Toronado and he was about to start helping Mendoza prepare, Diego had locked the books away in his room, not wanting to give De Soto the opportunity to learn too much about his family's finances.

It was another time when his great-grandfather's paranoia about safety and security came in handy, as aside from the cave that his father had forgotten about, many of the rooms in the hacienda had hidden caches for the protection of valuables. So it was a simple matter for Diego to conceal the books, though it did turn out that his precautions were unnecessary as the lancers made only a cursory search before Sepulveda somehow confused a mare with a stallion. However, that brief moment of horror with the fireplace did make him think that it might be a good idea to try to figure out a better way of protecting the switch as this was the second time someone had accidentally opened the panel. He wasn't sure he'd be so lucky with a third, but it would definitely require some thought as it would be too difficult to make any alterations to the fireplace without his father becoming suspicious.

Diego retrieved the books and papers he needed to work on and went to his desk. He wasn't in the mood to take it all to the library, and what he needed his father's input on could wait until the next day. Looking over everything, Diego sighed a little as he got started; this was going to take a while. Once again, he reflected on the annoying limitations of time. At least, he'd forgotten this enough to be able to spend the afternoon with Victoria; that was far more important to him. Holding her, sitting with her, talking with her, simply being with her was wonderful— and frustrating. Six more months. He was determined not to think of the precise number of days, though he knew them all too well. He shook his head as he realized he'd made a mistake and re-focused on the work in front of him. He'd rather not spend all evening on this.

Two hours later, Diego had finished. Closing the books and stacking the papers, he got up from his desk and went to make sure that Maria knew he was going to be at home for dinner. Not that it mattered that much, as she always had more than enough for them or any extra guests that might be invited.

Diego didn't see his father until it was time for dinner, and Don Alejandro behaved exactly as Diego expected him to, which was a relief as Diego felt he was prepared for the status quo.

After telling Diego about what he'd been doing during the day, he said, "I haven't seen you since yesterday. What have you been up to?"

"Well, you know I had dinner with Victoria last night," Diego began. "This morning I had an experiment to see to as well as Felipe's lessons which have been neglected these past few days. Then we had lunch at the tavern." Diego paused a moment, then decided not to mention how long he stayed there with Victoria. "And this afternoon I was catching up with the accounts. There are some business matters I need to ask about, but they can wait until tomorrow."

"Fine," Alejandro said.

Diego noticed that he seemed somewhat abstracted. Was he still thinking about his confrontation with the alcalde yesterday? It wasn't like his father to brood. More like a fiery burst of anger and indignation which burnt out quickly. Diego wondered if he should mention the letter he had written to Ernesto. However, since at the moment he had no idea what response, if any, he was going to receive, he decided against it, especially as knowing Ernesto as he did, he expected him to want to stay at the tavern with its near proximity to the cuartel. That was his usual _modus operandi_. And if he stayed in town, Diego might as well use it as an excuse to do the same. They could catch up a bit, and he'd be closer to Victoria, in a less dangerously tempting situation. He tried not to think about the fact that it would mean Ernesto wouldn't be around his father as much.

"Diego..." his father's voice broke into his reverie.

"Yes, Father?" Diego asked.

"Have you and Victoria had a fight?"

Diego raised an eyebrow. That was an unexpected question. "Of course not. Victoria and I hardly ever fight," he said. He actually couldn't remember the last time she'd been angry with _him_. It might have been when he was wallowing in self-pity after having been mesmerized by a third rate villain, and that was only in response to his own foul mood. He remembered her support and their subsequent engagement more clearly. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that...you disappeared so quickly yesterday," Alejandro said. "I couldn't help wondering."

"I needed to get away for a while," Diego said evenly. He should have known it wouldn't occur to his father that he had plenty of reason to be irritated with him and in need of some time away from the hacienda. Inwardly, Diego sighed. He respected his father. His father was a good man, a man he respected. Though he could be obtuse at times and given to action without thought, Diego never doubted his father cared for him and his worry was now obvious. His betrothal to Victoria was a dream come true for Don Alejandro, and despite his aggravation, Diego couldn't bear the thought of his father worrying that anything was wrong between Victoria and him, so he did the most reasonable thing he could and blamed it on all on De Soto. "I wasn't in the mood to see the alcalde, in case he decided to change his mind." His father winced slightly, but said nothing. "Besides Victoria and I did have dinner when I got back." He was not going to mention anything they did beyond eating. He wasn't entirely sure what his father thought they could or should be doing while engaged, but he didn't plan to volunteer any information.

"And today?"

Why was he so concerned? Did his father think Victoria might change her mind? Did he think Diego would change his? If he thought so, he should have let them have a shorter engagement. "We... talked, after lunch," Diego said. "Victoria was really busy today, and this evening she's training a new helper. She's still concerned about trying to find a manager for the tavern. And I've invited her to have dinner with us the day after tomorrow, if that's all right."

"Of course, she's always welcome." His father noticeably brightened at the news of Victoria's planned visit. "And I might have a good possibility for a manager for her, an old sergeant with relatives in the area, but it will probably be another month before I get a response. Has she heard from her brothers yet?"

"Not yet, but she hopes to soon," Diego said. "But she's decided that she's not going to let that stop her if she finds the right person for the job."

"Good. You both are going to have a lot more to do after the new year begins, and I'd like her to have that off her mind before things get too hectic."

"She said as much herself," Diego replied. There had always been a similarity in the way Victoria and his father looked at things. He had always been glad of their closeness. It had certainly made things easier once he'd started courting her without a mask, since his father had always thought of her as an unofficial daughter.

"Luisa wants to get started on Victoria's wardrobe next month as well," Alejandro added. "Most of the materials should have arrived by then."

Diego really didn't know much about women's fashions. However, he did know it was his responsibility to provide Victoria with the best materials and clothes he could afford, which was actually a great deal, but he had left it to Victoria to choose what she liked best, as he wanted her to be happy with whatever she had, and left any battles over that be between her and Luisa, who after mainly doing repair work and sewing for the household was looking forward to being able to dress the soon-to-be de la Vega bride, as she had his mother. She even had her granddaughter poised to help her as well. This was another place he'd stay out of the way and simply do whatever he was told was necessary.

"I believe I'll need to go to Santa Paula for them," Diego finally said. He also had to go to Santa Paula to get his violin repaired. He hardly ever played it, but someone might find it useful when all the family started gathering together. It would be easy enough to combine the trips.

"Good," Alejandro replied.

Diego looked at his father, expecting him to say something else, but instead Alejandro turned his attention back to dinner, and Diego, not being in the mood to talk himself, conversation lagged. After dinner, Alejandro asked Diego if he'd go out with him to check on the fences in the morning and if the business could wait until before lunch. Diego agreed to both. Alejandro then said he was going to bed, as the day had been long enough.

Diego couldn't really repress the guilt he was feeling. His father still had to do too much, and he, ungrateful as he was, was still harboring an edge of frustration with the way things were when it was all his own fault. But all he could do was try to find a way to minimize the need for Zorro and try to take on more of the burden himself. He was tired himself, but the one thing he absolutely would not give up was time with Victoria. He needed her too much, especially in times like these when he was feeling trapped by expectations. Knowing that he had much more to do the next day, Diego decided to go to bed early himself. Maybe sleep would clear his perspective, and hopefully Domingo would return with a response to his message and give him some hope on the tax front.

~Z~Z~Z~

Early the next morning, Diego and Alejandro rode out to check the fences to the north, which were Alejandro's main concern. They were mostly solid, but there was one section that needed some repair. Diego was thankful that it required nothing more than getting Pablo and a few of the _vaqueros_ out to fix the problem. As they rode back, Diego couldn't help but think that things would probably be simpler if he'd at least one brother, preferably older, as Diego knew that it wasn't just Zorro that kept him from being the ideal heir of his father's estate. He was too interested in other things to ever truly devote himself entirely to the rancho. Even a younger brother would be a relief, though he often thought of Felipe as a combination of son and little brother. Felipe deserved to be a de la Vega in name, but Diego wasn't sure what he could do about it, as Felipe himself seemed very desirous of staying out of sight, something that would become quite difficult if he became an official part of the family. Diego tried to put away his melancholy thoughts, which were now as troubling as his previous anger had been.

Once he and his father had returned home, it didn't take long to handle the business required. Diego hoped he had finally started appearing as normal, although he felt on edge for reasons he hadn't been able to fathom. Perhaps it was nervousness about the possible appearance of Ernesto. He didn't know, but he hoped he'd have an answer soon.

~Z~Z~Z~

After an uneventful lunch, Diego contemplated riding to Los Angeles. He missed Victoria, and he had no idea when to expect Domingo's return. He left the hacienda with the idea of heading to the stables. However, when he exited the gate, he couldn't help but notice a rider in the distance.

As he stood and watched, he thought the figure looked vaguely familiar. If he didn't know any better... As the rider approached, Diego realized that he wasn't wrong. It _was _Ernesto. He hadn't expected him to appear so soon. Within another minute, he was in front of the gate.

Dismounting from his horse, with an eager voice, Ernesto said, "Diego de la Vega! I was right. It wasn't too hard to find this on my own. And you thought I'd never make it."

With a smile as he took in his friends appearance, Diego replied, "I never said you'd never make it. I said that you'd probably ride past without noticing it." He reached out to shake his friend's hand. "It's good to see you, and it looks as if you've gotten a new pair of spectacles."

Ernesto took them off for a second to let Diego examine them. "You know I've always been looking for a better fit, and these are the best so far." Putting his spectacles back on, he said. "I've been looking for an excuse to visit. I just didn't expect the one you sent."

"I must admit I didn't expect you so soon," Diego said. "Why don't you come inside for a minute, and we can talk before I take you to town. Unless you'd like to stay here. I know my father won't mind. In fact, he'll probably insist when he meets you."

"I'll come in, but you're right that I'd rather stay in town. You know how I usually handle these things, though on this trip I'm afraid I don't have the time to do the thorough kind of preliminary work that I like. However, as your letter made things sound urgent, I thought I'd come instead of sending a reply."

"Thank you," Diego said, but then a thought hit him and he looked down the road. "Where's Mateo? I didn't think you'd go anywhere without him."

"Or more like he wouldn't let me go anywhere without him. You know he's always taken his duties too seriously. I did convince him that I'd be safe enough riding with your messenger, as I needed him to stay behind, for one or two unfinished things. He should be arriving with the wagon the day after tomorrow. I pity any bandit who tries anything en route."

Diego led the way inside, privately agreeing. Mateo had been Ernesto's most faithful servant since he'd entered his service in Madrid, and as Mateo was a giant of a man noticeably taller than Diego and possibly one of the deadliest fighters he had ever seen, Diego would pity anyone who tried to accost him anywhere. It was ironic that Mateo was for the most part a gentle soul, whose chief virtues were his loyalty and protectiveness.

When they entered the house, Don Alejandro was just about to leave the library. "Ah, Diego, I was just about to..." He stopped when he saw that Diego wasn't alone.

Diego paused. It took him a moment to figure out how to frame everything with as much composure as possible, since he'd inevitably have to deal with the bet even if obliquely in this conversation. Before the silence became awkward, he spoke. "Father, I'm glad to see you. This is my friend Ernesto Moraga; I'm sure you remember me mentioning him— we went to the university together. Ernesto, this is my father, Don Alejandro."

The two men shook hands. After a short pause, Alejandro said, "Yes, I remember now. You're Gregorio Moraga's son, and you and Diego met on the way to the university."

"That's right," Ernesto said. "And my father told me to give you his best regards if we ever met."

"It's been a long time since I've seen him," Alejandro said. "But what brings you to Los Angeles?"

Ernesto looked at Diego, who spoke quickly wanting to get past the vexing issue of the bet and the sales tax. "I invited him, Father. I don't think I mentioned it before, but Ernesto's got the job of investigating fiscal issues in the smaller pueblos, so since the alcalde has not seen fit to rescind the sales tax," _because my father turned it into a bet rather than a legal matter_, Diego thought but didn't say, "and I knew that Ernesto was going to be in the area, I thought he'd be the right man to help us... I would have mentioned it earlier, but as I wasn't sure when or if Ernesto would be able to come, I was going to wait for a reply, but as you see, the man himself arrived."

"Well, your letter made it sound urgent, and it was as easy to come back with your messenger as send a message, and as I've said, I don't have much time for this visit, and I didn't want to waste any."

"And in light of that, it would probably be a good idea for us to go into town, so you can get settled in before siesta," Diego said, not really wanting to go into detail.

Alejandro looked confused. "Why didn't you invite your friend to stay here?"

"My fault," Ernesto said. "To do my work best, it helps to stay in the local tavern, especially as this one is so convenient to the cuartel." He stopped and smiled. "And I must admit I'm looking forward to meeting the almost legendary Señorita Escalante. I never thought it would take Diego this long to get engaged to her."

"Really?" Don Alejandro asked.

Diego almost groaned; Ernesto was well aware that he'd had feelings for Victoria since before he'd left for the University. He didn't particularly want his father delving too deeply into that, especially as a couple years ago, during a time when his father had been hinting particularly strongly about his desire for grandchildren, Diego had told his father about his broken engagement to Zafira, hoping that would ease up the pressure a little. He actually felt more than a bit ashamed of that.

"Father, we really should get to town," Diego said, desperately, but not wanting it to look as if he were afraid to let Ernesto talk to his father added. "Perhaps if tomorrow goes well, Ernesto could have dinner here. You know Victoria's already coming."

"A splendid idea, Diego," Alejandro said, with a gleam in his eye that did not bode well for Diego. "Yes, I'm sure that your business will be a success, and I'd definitely like to hear what stories you can tell about what my son was like outside the class room."

"Dinner sounds wonderful, and I'm sure that I can tell a few things that you might find interesting."

Diego glared at Ernesto, who simply smiled back innocently. Diego turned back to his father. "Oh, I thought I might stay at the tavern tonight as well. We have some catching up to do."

"Of course, Diego," Alejandro said. "And give my regards to Victoria as well."

"Certainly." Diego wasn't sure whether that was sarcasm or a directive not to forget Victoria.

He and Ernesto took their leave and not too many minutes later were on their way to Los Angeles.

~Z~Z~Z~

As they rode, Diego glanced at his friend and said, "I trust you aren't planning to tell my father anything _too_ interesting."

"Oh, no," Ernesto said. "I know too well that if I reveal too much, you'll find an excuse to visit my father and tell him too much."

"True, though I hadn't thought about it," Diego said. "After all I'm not the one that Estavan convinced to visit that particular house of..."

"But you were with us when he managed to drag us into that den of thieves. I'm still not sure how we got out of that alive."

"And I'm still not sure why we even spoke to Estavan after that one," Diego said. "There are days I wonder how we three managed to stay friends."

"I think once we learned to distinguish between his 'brilliant' ideas and his actual good ones, it wasn't so hard to have fun with him. Although in some ways he could be the opposite of a conscience. The moment he'd try to convince us how really harmless something was we'd recognize what a bad idea it was and run like the devil was at our heels. But he wasn't vicious and we did manage to have some genuinely good times together. That bet about the flirting wasn't so bad."

Diego grimaced. "Speak for yourself." That bet is what introduced him to Zafira, and he wasn't happy remembering what a mistake he'd been saved from, especially now that he was going to marry Victoria.

Ernesto glanced at him. "Oh, yes, right. Sorry. Well, then the horse race..."

"All right, that was fun. And that was really what everything was about for him. Perhaps we stayed friends because he wouldn't let us take ourselves too seriously." Diego shrugged. "Have you heard from him recently?"

"Not recently," Ernesto replied. "Last I heard he was in Mexico City and trying to avoid his father. But enough about him, I want to know about you and Victoria Escalante. I especially want to know what was the nature of the golden apples you threw into your Atalanta's path to get her to slow down enough for you to catch her."

"Ernesto..." Diego said in a warning tone.

"Diego," Ernesto replied evenly. "You know full well I'm referring to the myth and not making any veiled implications about her wanting your money or your position. If that were the case you two would have been married within a year of your coming home. Please don't tell me it was because you were pining for Señorita Zafira, because I won't believe it. If you'll forgive me, I always thought it was embarrassment that got you started and stubbornness that kept you going, and I've also thought it was lucky she left town before you did something foolish like ask her to marry you."

Diego winced. Only Victoria and his father were aware that he actually had been engaged to her or that she'd left him waiting at the church. He'd certainly never told anyone in Spain, and he wasn't about to do that now.

"No, it wasn't Zafira. And I do forgive you, since much as it pains me to admit it, you were right; I was being stubborn," Diego said.

"Stubborn? You?" Sarcasm dripped from Ernesto's lips. "Never would have expected it. So not Zafira. And I know it can't have been your Aunt Magdalena, even if you'd ever belonged to the adoring throng that wanted to lie prostrate at her feet."

"Ernesto!" Diego was shocked. "She is my _aunt_! And she acted as a mother towards me. You can't possibly think..."

"Diego, I'm not implying any salacious designs on her. You know how many students thought she was practically an angel come to earth, and those of a less worshipful disposition envied your uncle because of her complete devotion. You wouldn't be any different than any of those."

Diego glared at him. If there had ever been any truth in that remark, it was so long ago that Diego was never going to admit there was anything in it at all.

"All right, more awkward because she's family. Fine. Not worshiping some ideal figure that no mere mortal could compare with. So what took you so long?"

Diego winced again. Actually Ernesto was close to the truth though he had it backwards. It was Victoria who'd seemed to be worshiping a legend _he_ couldn't live up to. Of course, he had been a fool, and it took her to show him how much of one.

"We can talk about this later, when I can have Victoria defend me," Diego said, with a grin. "She seems happy enough with how things are. I'd rather hear about what your plan is."

"Oh, that. Simple enough. I spend the afternoon finding out what I can about the pueblo and your alcalde, and then not too long before whatever time your alcalde tends to retire for the evening, I want you to introduce me to him so I can present my credentials and let him know I'll be wanting to speak with him tomorrow morning."

"That is simple. Is it wise?" Diego asked. Was Ernesto really going to give De Soto the chance to cover up his behavior?

"Trust me, Diego," Ernesto said. "This has worked before and on cleverer men than that rotten cheat Ignacio De Soto."

Diego was about to ask, but then he remembered that Ernesto had known De Soto as well, although he'd been convinced the man had cheated his way through school rather than being naturally gifted. At the time Diego had thought he was just annoyed, but after getting to know De Soto better, he now agreed with Ernesto. De Soto _was _a rotten cheat.

"All right, I must admit I would like to see the master at work, though I expect I'm going to have to wait until you come to dinner for a full report on your business tomorrow. Unless of course Sergeant Mendoza gets to witness some of it. He's always good for a tale."

"He's the one you told me about. Your friend, who does his best for the people under incompetent orders."

"Exactly," Diego said. "He may appear foolish, but he's got a good heart, and he has been a very good friend. Don't let appearances deceive you."

"I rarely do, Diego," Ernesto said with a grin, and pointing to his spectacles. "I've spent far too much of my life seeing things as a blur. Thank goodness, I was always able to read."

After they entered the tavern, Diego's first action was to introduce Ernesto to Victoria and arrange for both of them to stay the night. Diego was relieved to see that while Ernesto met Victoria with enthusiasm, he didn't either reveal how much he knew of Diego's earlier feelings or ask too many questions about their engagement. After that it was only a matter of introducing Ernesto to Sergeant Mendoza who was still eating his lunch. Ernesto raised his eyebrow at the traveler's tax that Mendoza sheepishly informed him of but paid it without comment, before settling down to ask him about Los Angeles.

While Ernesto was doing that, Diego took the opportunity to pull Victoria aside for a moment.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?" Victoria asked in a teasing tone of voice. "If you particularly need a chaperone to feel safe from the wiles of your fiancée..."

"Victoria..." Diego protested softly.

"I'm looking forward to learning more about your university days," she said, changing the subject lightly.

Diego shrugged. "Perhaps during siesta, if it's agreeable to everyone."

"I would enjoy that," Victoria said.

Another thought struck him forcibly, and Diego spoke quietly. "Oh, and Ernesto is very eager to know what took me so long to start courting you." At her expression, he looked a bit sheepish. "He knows that I had strong feelings for you even while I was in Madrid..." He closed his eyes, still feeling the embarrassment of his failed relationship with Zafira, "So be prepared for that, since I didn't have time to tell him much of anything, including..."

"Former suitors in black masks and capes?" Victoria finished with a smile. "Don't worry, Diego, I can handle questions well enough, and I was expecting something of the sort in any case."

"I know, _querida_," Diego replied. "It's just that Ernesto can be a bit... abrupt, and I just didn't want you to be taken off guard."

"Oh, I'm quite used to abrupt people, my love," Victoria said.

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria finally closed the tavern after lunch, only Diego and Ernesto remaining. At her invitation the three of them went to sit in her parlor, which Diego reflected was seeing more use in two days than it had in the last month.

Sitting down on the sofa, Victoria looked up at him with a smile, and he sat next to her while Ernesto took a nearby chair. Diego wondered if he could manage to get Ernesto to tell him a bit more about his plans, but then he saw the look in Ernesto's eye and realized he wasn't about to get his wish.

Ernesto looked at the pair of them, but then focused on Diego. "So now that you have your fiancée here to defend you, I want to know what took you so long to start courting her."

Victoria's eyes shot to Diego's face. "Did you really say you needed me to defend you?"

When did he lose his ability to speak properly? "In a manner of speaking, yes. I was a very foolish man."

"Not so very foolish," Victoria said. "But a little too inclined to undervalue your own ability to compete for my attention."

"And this would be the bandit Zorro I've heard so much about?" Ernesto asked. "You know many of the stories about him revolve around his love for a beautiful tavern owner."

Diego had to keep himself from wincing at yet another example of the consequences of his lack of foresight as Zorro. While the people of Los Angeles seemed to have taken Victoria and Diego's courtship and romance in stride and accepted that whatever had been between Zorro and her was over, the legends outside of Los Angeles had not caught up with the facts, and it pained Diego to realize what he had done. At least, everyone knew that Zorro would defend Victoria even if they were no longer romantically linked. He hated the complications he'd managed to introduce into his family's lives. He wondered what he should say, but it was Victoria who answered first.

"And they are exaggerated," Victoria said with complete equanimity. "Zorro is a great hero to the people and a truly courteous man. He also rescued me on more than one occasion for which I'm very grateful." She glanced at Diego. "And Diego here seemed very content to treat me only as a friend for quite some time."

"You did seem to prefer men of action."

"You act in a very different way, a more peaceful way, that's just as important as any action," Victoria insisted. She looked over at Ernesto. "It doesn't matter too much now. It may have taken some time and the intervention of a matchmaker, but we did figure out we loved each other."

Ernesto shifted to look at Diego. "Matchmaker?" he asked. "Not your father?"

Diego shook his head. "No, though I think he probably wishes he'd gotten the idea right after I arrived home, as he's always cared for Victoria as if she were a daughter. The matchmaker in question was Doña Maria Estevez, a woman whose greatest pleasure seems to be in matching up people whether they like or not," he said, trying and failing to keep his irritation out of his voice.

"And it was because she was after you that made you speak?" Ernesto inquired.

"No," Victoria said. "She was trying to find _me_ a husband, and beyond having dreadful taste in potential suitors, she thought Diego was a hopelessly confirmed bachelor."

"So that's finally made you speak up?" Ernesto asked Diego.

"I'm afraid so. The thought of losing her to Zorro was bad enough, but I don't think I could have stomached losing her to Don Pablo." Diego smiled as Victoria shuddered.

"That would _not_ have happened," she said, then to Ernesto. "He played the guitar badly, sang worse, and couldn't take a hint."

"I think I might have shared that last characteristic," Diego replied. "I'm very lucky you were willing to let me court you after all the mistakes I'd made."

"I'd rather be happy than hold a grudge," Victoria said.

Diego smiled at her. That's something that had taken him a while to understand. She had a quick temper, but she really wasn't one to hold on to that anger for long. Looking into her eyes, he wished his friend was anywhere but in this room so that he could kiss her the way he wanted to. Since he was in the room, Diego kissed her hand instead, keeping his attention focused on her.

Ernesto cleared his throat, and Diego turned his head towards him. "Diego, I know you'll take it in the spirit I intend when I say, 'I told you so.' In fact I'm a little envious." He shifted forward to speak to Victoria. "I know you don't have a sister, Señorita Escalante, but perhaps a cousin or a young aunt, or maybe a good friend who doesn't mind a man who spends most of his time in books."

"I'm afraid I can't think of anyone at the moment," Victoria said. "However, now that I've got you here I'd love to know a little bit about Diego's university days. He's never really talked much about them."

"I see he hasn't changed much. He's always enjoyed talking but not about himself," Ernesto said. "Diego, are you still playing the game?"

"What game?" Victoria asked.

Diego tried not to sigh. "It's something that Ernesto and I used to do at some of the social gatherings we got dragged into."

"Yes, you see even though we were Californians we both have family in Spain, and in some cases quite prominent family, so we tended to get dragged into more social events than we liked. Or rather I think Diego's family dragged him, and he dragged me so that he wouldn't be alone in his misery."

"I'd say that Aunt Magdalena encouraged and Uncle Cecilio pleaded. He didn't like them any more than we did."

"That is probably more accurate. But to the point, we both hated the attention we got. Diego hated that it was mostly because of his status as heir and his family connections. I hated it because even though I'm the fourth born son of my family only my eldest brother had already married and the other two had managed to avoid being formerly betrothed at the time. In any event, we'd get cornered quite a lot at any social gathering, and there was an annoying tendency for the conversation to turn too personal for either of our likings. So we started up a game to see who could most quickly and politely get whoever was being most annoying to leave us alone. Diego won most often as his knowledge of arcane and somewhat tedious facts was much greater than my own, and he was politer as well." Ernesto shook his head.

"Of course, Diego is nothing if not polite," Victoria replied.

Ernesto glanced at Diego as if contemplating mentioning one of those times when politeness hadn't been an option, but Diego shook his head slightly with a look that he hoped told Ernesto that friendship or not, he'd retaliate with one of Ernesto's more embarrassing adventures, and he had a few that had nothing to do with Diego. Estavan had always had an easier time getting Ernesto to go along with his plans than Diego. Odd, when Ernesto could be as immovable as a mountain when it came to some things.

"You know, Diego, there has been something else I've been wondering about," Ernesto said. "Zorro. Is he really the sword master he's supposed to be? Or is that another exaggeration?" His eyes shifted to Victoria and back to Diego. "Would you say that he was better than Sir Edmund's star pupil?"

Diego worked to appear only thoughtful. He knew that Ernesto wouldn't betray him, but... "It's hard to say. Zorro hasn't had to face too many truly skilled swordsmen. However, he did defeat Sir Miles Thackeray and Colonel Palomarez rather handily. I'm not sure if you're familiar with their reputations."

"I believe so; they both had the reputation of masters. But you didn't answer my last question."

Diego sighed and hoped he looked properly rueful. "I'd have to say that he is, as I'm afraid the man in question has allowed his skills to get somewhat rusty over the past few years. Too many other things to do. Zorro has been fighting the whole time and has a few tricks that I don't think Sir Edmund ever taught." As he spoke he was grateful that Ernesto wouldn't be staying long as he didn't want to give him the opportunity to suggest any kind of swordplay to see how rusty Diego had gotten. Diego wasn't sure he could figure out the proper balance there.

"Don Ernesto," Victoria interjected. "I think you're deliberately trying to change the subject. You're as bad as Diego. Now, if you please, sir, I'd like to hear a little more about Diego's university days." Victoria squeezed Diego's hand comfortingly as she spoke.

Ernesto smiled and launched into an account of his and Diego's first days in Spain, much to Diego's relief, as while there were more than a few mishaps and embarrassments for both of them in those days, they were more of a mild and amusing rather than humiliating quality. Also, it was enough to divert Ernesto thoroughly from the topic of Zorro and got Victoria what she wanted. Even better, it occupied their time until the end of siesta.

~tbc~


	18. After Silk Purses and Sow's Ears 3

**An Officer and a Gentleman**

**(After Silk Purses and Sows Ears)**

**Part 3**

Once people started drifting into the tavern in the late afternoon, Ernesto sat in a quiet corner simply listening and observing. Diego left him to it and spent a little time talking with Victoria before going over to the newspaper office to do a little work there as well. He waited until about twenty minutes after he saw De Soto enter the tavern before heading over there. He had no great desire to see the alcalde again, especially as he'd have to be polite and oblivious.

As he was crossing the plaza, he was starting to think that while up to a point he did enjoy the adventure and the danger of being Zorro, the one thing he liked best was the ability to say exactly what he thought with a directness that he'd rarely ever exercised without a mask, even before he needed a disguise. There was a certain amount of freedom in anonymity. While he'd managed to play with and manipulate De Soto often as himself, there was an exhilaration in being straightforward and undisguised in his opinions. Ironic that he had to wear a mask to enjoy that freedom.

He sighed slightly as he entered the tavern. De Soto was sitting in his usual spot, back to the door. Diego often wondered why the man did that. He'd thought that the man's paranoia would cause him to keep his back to the wall and facing the door. Diego didn't think he'd ever understand the alcalde. He was an ambitious man with a twisted maze of a mind; sometimes he was easy to predict, other times he'd go off on unexpected tangents. Diego made his way quietly over to Ernesto.

"I take it you've seen the alcalde," he said quietly.

"Yes, but I don't want to draw attention to myself yet," Ernesto whispered. "However, it would be useful if you went and talked to him. I'd like to take his measure a little."

Diego thought he understood what Ernesto was after, and while not entirely in the right frame of mind, he was willing enough. He crossed the room to where De Soto had just started his dinner.

"_Buenas tardes_, alcalde," he said politely.

"De la Vega," De Soto said with bare politeness. He spared a glance around the tavern. "Your father not with you today?" He returned to his plate.

"No, I'm afraid not," Diego said flatly. "He's been busy."

De Soto grinned slightly. "I'm sure he has," he said smugly. "It's a wonder he was so ready to sacrifice his heir on a wager when there's so much to be done."

Diego forced himself to remain outwardly calm, mainly by thinking about what he would do to De Soto the next time he had to face him as Zorro. "My father has always been a confident man," he replied.

"Overconfident," De Soto said, before his attention seemed to drift across the room.

_A trait you both share_, Diego didn't say. He followed De Soto's gaze and realized that it was Victoria that the man was looking at. He didn't mind the look so much, but there was a contempt behind it that angered Diego.

De Soto shifted his focus back. "You seemed to have been spared that trait," he said.

_You have no idea how wrong you are._ "I have my own set of weaknesses," Diego said with intentional mildness.

De Soto laughed loudly. "That is for certain. That's why despite winning, I wouldn't have you as a lancer. Though it was worth it to get your father to stop bothering me about that sales tax."

"I bow to your cunning," Diego said. He glanced over to Ernesto, who nodded slightly. Apparently, Ernesto didn't need much to get his opinion. "Now if you'll excuse me..."

De Soto simply inclined his head. Diego returned to Ernesto's table. "That wasn't much," he said.

"All I needed really. After all, I saw him when he came in," Ernesto replied. "I think we'll follow him across to his office when he returns. It will be better for me to present my credentials in private."

"I see," Diego said. Ernesto had his own way of doing things.

~Z~Z~Z~

True to his word, Ernesto didn't make a move until after De Soto had left the tavern and returned to his office. The moment they saw the door shut they crossed the plaza.

De Soto looked up at the two men from his desk after they entered the office. "Well, what can I do for you?"

"Alcalde, my friend, Ernesto Moraga, here asked me to bring him over to meet you, so he could present his credentials to you."

"Credentials?" De Soto asked blankly.

"Yes," Ernesto said. "I'm here on business that requires your cooperation. If I may?" He took his papers from his pocket and put them on the desk.

De Soto picked them up and started glancing through them. "Moraga," he said absently. "That sounds familiar."

Ernesto looked bored. "Well, you might be thinking of my elder brother Julián whose father-in-law is the minister who deals with colonial appointments, and he's following that career path himself. I imagine his name might appear on your official orders somewhere. Or you could be thinking of my father Don Gregorio who was a close advisor to my uncle the previous governor Don Antonio Ontiveros." Diego noticed De Soto's eyes widen at the names. Ernesto turned to Diego. "Speaking of my uncle, I believe I forgot to tell you that he holds up your newspaper as the perfect example of what he wanted when he started the project. He admires the breadth of its information as well as the scrupulous attention to detail as well as its regular publication. Too many other pueblos have abandoned the effort altogether, or if they do publish it is all puff with the occasional announcement of new taxes or other community events."

Diego was surprised. _The Guardian_ was very close to his heart; it let him to some extent do with words what Zorro did with his sword. He knew it was useful; he had on more than one occasion managed to check some of the excesses of the alcaldes. However, he didn't think anyone outside of the pueblo had ever paid any attention to it.

"I'm glad to hear that news of our pueblo manages to travel," Diego said. "Aren't you, Ignacio?"

De Soto looked more than a bit alarmed, though he was clearly trying to appear unconcerned. "Of course. Especially when praised in such high terms," he said. "These papers seem in order, sir, but I'm afraid I don't understand your purpose in visiting our pueblo."

Ernesto took back the documents and put them in his pocket. "Oh, I thought I'd already made that clear. Forgive me," he said, in the blandest tone possible. "You cannot be unaware of the many revenue issues that have been concerning the governor. I believe that Captain Dominguez may have made mention of them in addition to his primary concern about the staffing of the garrison."

"Oh, yes, of course," De Soto said.

"Good. Then it should not surprise you that I have been sent to conduct a preliminary inquiry on the state of the various pueblos finances and the ways in which revenues are being collected." De Soto couldn't hide the look of alarm then, but Ernesto ignored it. "I have heard that you have implemented some innovative tax measures, and if they are all that reports make of them I will be quite pleased to inform the governor with my own recommendations on the subject."

De Soto's alarm decreased slightly as he tried to decipher just what it was that Ernesto was telling him, though Diego understood Ernesto completely. However, after a moment De Soto relaxed slightly, taking only the most positive view of what Ernesto was saying to him.

"Yes, well, this has been a troublesome pueblo, and I have been doing my best to do my duty."

"Of course," Ernesto said with the same bland nearly bored tone. "In any event, tomorrow morning I expect to see all the relevant records and statutes for evaluation. I have a limited time, so I'll need you to be prepared to spend much of the day on this review."

"Certainly," De Soto said, not looking entirely unlike a cornered rabbit with no avenue of escape.

"Good, since we understand one another, I'll leave you to see about getting the records together and will see you tomorrow morning."

"I'm sure you'll find everything in order," De Soto said, his attention now shifting around them room.

"I'm sure I shall," Ernesto replied. "Let's go, Diego." He turned and headed to the door without another word.

"_Buenas noches,_" Diego said to an oblivious De Soto before turning to leave himself.

As he and Ernesto crossed the plaza, Diego said, "So this is how you operate?"

"When I'm in a hurry and I have a friend who wants help," Ernesto said. "Now you know he's going to be spending the evening desperately trying to figure out the best way to impress me. And yes, I know he's going to hide things, but if, as you say, he's proud of the sales tax, he'll try to impress me with that. The side benefit is that he's going to get very little sleep before I appear in the morning, which will make my task so much simpler."

"I bow to your experience," Diego said, as they paused outside the tavern.

"As well you should," Ernesto said with a wicked grin. "After all, _this_ is my field of expertise. The most enjoyable bit will be tomorrow where I get to sift the fiction from the nonfiction."

Diego smiled back. "No wonder the governor prefers you to work outside of Monterey."

"An unfortunate truth," Ernesto said, "but I still do what I can, and it's usually very effective." He glanced back at the alcalde's office. "Especially with rotten cheats."

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria locked the tavern doors, leaving her and Diego alone downstairs. Ernesto had already gone up to his room saying that he wanted to be well prepared for the morning.

As she turned around, Victoria smiled at Diego who was standing very close to her. "With our chaperone upstairs, are you still brave enough to stay?" she teased.

Victoria never seemed afraid of playing with fire. Diego leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Precious, it has nothing to do with fear, and everything to do with temptation."

He reached for her face, letting his fingers trace a course from her temple down to her lips. Kissing her ear, he moved to kiss her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, and her chin, before pausing an inch from her lips. He looked at her half closed eyes with a slight smirk before straightening up. Victoria's eyes snapped open.

"Diego..." she started.

He put on an innocent expression. "I was thinking. With all the frustrations of the past week and the work to get Mendoza ready, there was one thing that I enjoyed very much," he said.

"And what was that?" she asked suspiciously.

"Dancing with you," he answered.

Victoria looked at him for a moment. "It was nice," she finally said.

"Just nice?" he asked.

"Well," Victoria said, "_we_ only danced briefly."

"We should correct that." Stepping back, he took her hand and with a grin said, "Señorita Escalante, would you grace your humble servant with a dance?"

Victoria giggled, but with a curtsey replied, "It would be my pleasure."

Diego took her in his arms, and they began to dance around the main room of the tavern. Music or not, Victoria followed his lead perfectly, but then she was always perfect. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him as they spun around. He wished they had more excuses to dance, but opportunities seemed few and far between. After several turns around the room, Diego finally ended the dance, and then stepped back to kiss Victoria's hand with all the grace he'd ever employed as Zorro.

With a smile, Victoria said, "Now_ that_ is my favorite part."

Stepping in closer, Diego said, "Mine is always holding you in my arms." He leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

As he started to straighten up, Victoria wrapped one arm around his neck and kissed him soundly on the lips. He quickly returned the kiss despite his best intentions. Why did he think this was a good idea? Especially since he knew full well that Ernesto had very selective hearing when he was asleep and very little except a direct threat seemed to wake him. Some minutes later, he reluctantly released her. "I should get some sleep myself," he said, thinking it would not be a good idea to stay downstairs with her much longer. "Do you know if you can come to dinner tomorrow night?"

Victoria played lightly with the collar of his shirt as she looked at him. "Yes," she said. "It's no problem." She glanced up the stairs. "Do you really think your friend can help us?"

"Yes, I do," he said. "While I doubt we'll be rid of our alcalde any time soon, I think he'll manage to help us with our current problem. What do you think of him?"

Victoria looked reflective. "He does seem exactly the kind of friend I'd expect you to have."

Thinking she was referring to his public persona, Diego said, "An intellectual with a fondness for books?"

"No," Victoria said. "A man with hidden depths." She pulled him down for another kiss.

This was not fair. Diego drew back to kiss her on her forehead. "I think we both need our sleep, querida."

"I suppose," Victoria said reluctantly.

"I'll help with the candles," he said.

There was a certain pleasure in helping Victoria finish up her chores. He even risked walking to her door and managed to kiss her good night without it getting out of hand.

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego had never really been a naturally early riser, though by force of discipline he'd managed it for years. He also tended to not be particularly cheerful or talkative until he'd at least gotten some breakfast. In one respect, Zorro had helped him by giving him the excuse to sleep his more preferred hours. Ernesto was his opposite in that respect, and it was lucky that they'd managed to come up with a workable compromise on the voyage to Spain or one of them probably wouldn't have made it there alive.

Waking slightly as he heard doors opening and closing, Diego had cracked open an eye to see that it was not far past dawn. He knew that Ernesto intended to descend on the alcalde very early, and while he would love to see that meeting and planned some time during the day to do a little eavesdropping, he knew that it would be counterproductive to follow Ernesto now, so instead let himself fall back to sleep. After all, he still had his reputation to maintain and sleep to catch up on.

Much later, Diego made his way downstairs into the main room of the tavern, and then into the kitchen where Victoria was cutting vegetables.

Victoria smiled at him. "I see some things don't change," she said in a teasing tone. "You are still a late riser."

"I'm afraid so," Diego said, firmly stomping down on the urge to say that once they were married he'd be happy to wake early if only she'd be content to stay in bed late. It was getting harder to keep control of his wayward thoughts, and there were still six months to go until the wedding. With determination he focused on the matter of current importance. "Can you tell me when Ernesto left this morning?"

"It couldn't have been later than seven," Victoria replied. "He left right after he ate and headed straight for the alcalde's office."

"Any sign of Mendoza?"

"He did have breakfast rather quickly a while ago. I think the alcalde wanted him available— for what, he didn't seem certain."

"Any other news from that quarter?" Diego asked.

"Not really. Are you expecting anything in particular?"

"I couldn't say. I've never seen Ernesto in action. Well, not for a job such as this," Diego said. "I have seen what he's capable of when he's in the mood to put someone in his place, and he never did like Ignacio."

Victoria laughed. "He shows very good taste— in friends and enemies."

"I'm glad you approve," Diego said. "I think I'm going to take a walk across the plaza and see."

"Not until you eat," Victoria said.

With a cheeky grin, Diego grabbed a roll from a basket, before disappearing out the door.

~Z~Z~Z~

After taking his time to observe and to make his actions seem as casual as possible, Diego stood outside the side window of the alcalde's office and looked inside. Ernesto was sitting in De Soto's chair with record books and papers piled high on the desk in front of him. De Soto was sitting in the chair across from the desk trying to look unconcerned as Ernesto looked through records and made notes in silence. Diego wondered how long Ernesto had been sitting there. He certainly intended to get every detail from him once they were away from the pueblo.

De Soto stood up and leaned over the desk in order to see what Ernesto was currently reviewing. "Now, I must remind you that many of these taxes were put into place by my predecessor."

"I understand that," Ernesto replied dismissively not even bothering to look up as he moved the current paper to the side. "That's not particularly relevant to my inquiries at the moment."

"You should understand that this pueblo was in a very poor condition before I took over," De Soto said.

"You've already mentioned that," Ernesto said. "Right now all I am is cataloging and evaluating the various taxes. It's not necessary to have an explanation of the origins— as yet." Ernesto looked up for a moment, giving a cursory glance at De Soto before looking out the window, clearly spotting Diego who stepped back in case De Soto turned to look as well. There was silence for a few moments. "However, I suppose we can go over a few of these."

Diego ventured to peak into the window again. Ernesto was pulling out a few papers. "I see that there's been a recently instituted sales tax on the farmers."

"Yes, with the shortage of funds, I've been forced to find more innovative means of acquiring revenue."

Ernesto nodded slightly. "This is innovative; however, it is also illegal to tax the product of farm labor throughout the Spanish Empire. How do you justify this?"

There was another a long pause. Finally, De Soto spoke, "Desperate times require desperate measures. Captain Dominguez, who was here representing the governor, was impressed with the results."

Diego noticed that De Soto left out the part where Zorro confiscated the tax to return to the people it was taken from.

Ernesto leaned back in his chair and spoke easily with a condescension that Diego hadn't quite realized he had in him. "Captain Dominguez, like you, is a military man. His assigned duty was to deal with staffing issues. That was his sole purview, as I'm afraid he tends to be unaware of many of the political ramifications that surround such illegal taxation. With Mexico threatening independence, the governor doesn't want to foment rebellion within California by ignoring Spanish law. Especially with any tax that tends to undermine the productivity of the people, thus insuring a reduction in revenue and perpetuating a cycle of ever diminishing resources." There was a significant pause. "The governor is not inclined to regard kindly anyone who does not stick to the law when attempting to increase revenue. I'm sure you understand, Captain."

Diego leaned slightly further. He could only really see the back of De Soto's head.

After a moment, De Soto said, "Of course."

"Good, now if you please, I would like to continue my review." Ernesto looked toward the window for a brief moment, a slight smile on his face.

Moving away, Diego was very pleased to have been able to witness that exchange, knowing that Ernesto had deliberately dealt with it while Diego was there. And that was their main problem solved for now; he hoped. Now it was just a question of waiting for evening in order to find out what else Ernesto might have concluded. Diego tried not to dwell on the thought that he'd far rather have his father be interested in what Ernesto did today than any stories Ernesto might share about their school days.

~Z~Z~Z~

Diego was in his room, changing before dinner. Ernesto had finished his work in the alcalde's office by the afternoon, but he refused to talk about any of the details while in the pueblo, though it was clear that for the moment that De Soto was a thoroughly cowed man. Despite some reservations and knowing that Ernesto would be leaving within the next day or so, Diego had invited Ernesto to stay at the hacienda now, and Ernesto agreed.

He was even happier that Victoria had also agreed to spend the night after dinner, since they were stealing her one overnight guest. He felt more secure knowing that Victoria would be there with them, willing and able to provide distractions if things got awkward. That of course was in addition to the fact that he was always happy when she agreed to stay in her future home. There was also the bonus that it was easier to deal with temptation when there was the real possibility of his father suddenly appearing.

He also had managed on the way back to the hacienda with Ernesto and Victoria to tell Ernesto that his father for some reason had assumed that he had never completed his studies with Sir Edmund and that he'd let him continue with that assumption for everyone's safety. He explained that the previous alcalde was an altogether more vicious man who if he'd thought Diego was a physical threat would have taken steps to eliminate him. As it was he had managed to take more peaceful measures without being suspected. Ernesto merely nodded, as if he found nothing suspicious in Diego keeping such a secret from his father.

Looking at his friend at that moment, Diego realized that Ernesto probably knew full well the real reason why he hid things from his father much less other people. After all, despite their friendship and extensive correspondence, Diego had not only never before invited Ernesto to visit Los Angeles but had also found excuses to discourage the idea. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out that Diego felt he had something to hide or to properly extrapolate what that something was. But very much as he always did, Ernesto was letting him know by acting as if oddities were commonplace.

Dinner passed well enough, as Alejandro spent almost the entire time listening to Ernesto's account of his morning's work. "There are a great many irregularities in the taxes here. More than I can possibly deal with on a single visit. Most seem to pre-date the current alcalde, a fact he was eager to point out himself, after which I pointed out that it behooved him to go through said taxes for their legalities, as the governor has lost patience with the poor regulation of the revenue system. I definitely pointed out with great explicitness that a sales tax which targets the products of farm labor is illegal and perhaps the quickest way to draw down the wrath of the governor who's been trying to find ways to encourage farming, as California needs a greater level of self-sufficiency. After a lengthy lecture on the governor's objectives and the debilitating effect of such taxes on farmers, De Soto was quick to rescind the tax for the good of the pueblo."

"And his career," Don Alejandro chuckled, before looking down to his son. "Ha, even when he wins De Soto loses, and the pueblo gets a win."

_And Mendoza still loses_, Diego thought bitterly, hand tightening on his glass as he struggled to bury his sudden anger. _Though he might have lost anyway, as De Soto had already planted the seed before the bet, but my father seems to have forgotten it entirely._

"I'm glad to be of assistance," Ernesto replied. "Though the credit goes to Diego for giving me such a detailed account and inviting me here when he did. It is far harder to deal with a tax once it's become entrenched, too much inertia and too many corrupt representatives giving contrary orders."

"We've seen enough of that recently," Alejandro said.

"And you'll probably see it again," Ernesto replied cynically. "But if you're fortunate, it won't be too soon, and perhaps, De Soto will be too unwilling to risk offending someone whose brother could effectively crush his career to create anymore illegal or arbitrary taxes. Unfortunately, I don't think I can do anything about anything outside that field, though I can recommend someone review his performance, but I'm sure you know how unlikely it is that something will come of it."

"I'm afraid we do," Diego said. _A moratorium on new taxes would take a burden off of us, but it doesn't stop De Soto from dispensing arbitrary justice. Nevertheless, it is easier for Zorro to ride to save an innocent than deal with tax collectors._ "However, that makes us the more grateful for the help we get." Diego also thought about the pleasure it was to see his old friend. He'd cut himself off from so much of his past out of necessity that he felt an almost overwhelming relief to find it wasn't quite as necessary as he'd long thought.

"Well, this job I enjoyed more than most," Ernesto said. "You know I always said that Ignacio De Soto was overrated as a student."

"True," Diego replied. "You were always suspicious of his good marks."

"And you were as always too willing to think the best of him."

"My son is nothing if not optimistic," Alejandro said.

_Not particularly today, even if I should be,_ Diego thought but kept silent.

"Diego's optimism is one of the things I love about him," Victoria said, though Diego got the impression she knew exactly what he was thinking. "He's always had that."

"I wouldn't say that," Diego finally said. "But I do try to look on the bright side whenever possibly. And, Ernesto, you have made things a bit brighter for Los Angeles."

"It's been a pleasant visit," Ernesto said. "I've gotten to see my old friend, meet the beauteous Señorita Escalante, and deal a few blows to Ignacio De Soto. I couldn't ask for anything better, except perhaps for more time."

"You must come back soon," Alejandro said. "For the wedding at least."

Diego looked at his friend. "Certainly, we still have much catching up to do, and I do know that there will be some single ladies at the wedding. Who knows? You might meet your destiny. And even if you don't, you should find something to entertain you."

Ernesto smiled. "I think I might, and I certainly will come if possible. Though I get the impression I might have to find a barn to sleep in with all the potential guests already invited."

"I'm sure we can find a corner for you," Diego said with a laugh.

"We can do better than that," Alejandro said. "I've already got plans in place, and of course, any friend of Diego's is more than welcome."

"I will do my best," Ernesto said.

Alejandro smiled and then chuckled. "I'm sorry. I still can't get over De Soto being conquered by the pen rather than the sword this time."

"Oh, I can," Victoria said. "I've come to appreciate that it's more of a challenge, but it can be far more satisfying when it works." She looked at Diego.

"I've always thought so," he said.

"But there's something to be said for seeing De Soto fall head first into a barrel," Alejandro said, a broad smile on his face. "That's a sight I'll treasure for a long time."

Diego had thought it funny himself, but sometimes he had to wonder if the pleasure he took in humiliating the alcalde was doing more harm than good. Was his joy at his ability to be so brash and mischievous really worth raising the alcalde's ire and obsession with catching him?

"I think I'd prefer to see the back of our alcalde riding out of Los Angeles forever," Victoria said, "_if_ we could guarantee a better man in his place."

"It wouldn't take much," Alejandro murmured.

Ernesto spoke up. "With the political turmoil in Mexico and Spain, there is a possibility that this alcalde will be the last Spanish appointee, and with much of the bureaucratic tangles in Monterey, I think it wouldn't be too difficult to suggest more local appointments..."

"Do you really think so?" Diego asked. In his letters, Ernesto had hinted at such an outcome, but of course, he'd had to be very circumspect in his suggestions in case his letters fell into the wrong hands.

"Yes, I do," Ernesto replied. He looked at Don Alejandro. "I hope you don't think me presumptuous, sir, but I feel I must say it." He took a deep breath. "I know Los Angeles is under the protection of Zorro. There's few who do not. However, there is trouble brewing throughout California, and I think the people of your pueblo need to be prepared for it because there may come a time when there won't be any outside help. And in fact, I think the people need to be prepared for a possible period of increased lawlessness..."

"And you're saying that we need to be prepared to defend ourselves and not let one man continue to do our fighting for us," Victoria broke in. Diego repressed a smile. He'd heard her say it often enough in frustration.

"One man isn't an army; even a legend can be killed," Ernesto agreed. "But I also think that you need to be prepared to govern yourselves for a time."

Alejandro nodded his head. "We've become a bit complacent, but with the news we've been getting..." Diego could see the wheels turning in his father's head. "You know, I might finally be able to get the support from the caballeros I've been looking for. We do need to be willing to band together."

Diego remained silent. Between his agreement that he'd be hard-pressed to take on an entire army and his frustration with the general passivity of the populace and the caballeros who should at least take more responsibility for protecting themselves and their people, he felt that he'd reveal too much if he said a word. He was glad to see his father look determined, though he knew that Alejandro had tried to work on a unified front with the most prominent citizens only to have them do nothing once the alcalde put the pressure on. But perhaps, now he might find a few more willing ears. He started sifting through ideas for newspaper articles that could help. He'd have to be subtle, but he was tired of wearing a mask. However, he knew that it would be his father was the one with the influence, even if it had done little for them over the years.

Diego looked over at Victoria and smiled. She too was an influence in her own right. As the owner of the town's only public meeting place, she was in the center of things, and she would not blindly accept injustice. While he was grateful that she'd learned to stop and reflect before acting, he was more grateful that her discovering his secret hadn't made her change, the way he'd had to change. He really should let her know how much he appreciated that.

Dinner finished up without any incident, and after dinner, Diego walked Victoria to the door of her room, which was quite far from his own. While sometimes he wondered if his father realized just how much he was in love, this was the only sign that his father didn't quite trust him to have her sleeping too close. Of course, Diego wasn't sure if he trusted himself with her sleeping too close, so he certainly couldn't complain. Victoria turned in front of the door and looked up at him. Beautiful as she was, he was once again reminded of how very fortunate he was.

"Thank you," he said, simply.

"For what?" she asked.

He raised a hand to trail his fingers down her face. "For always being you, even when I cannot be myself," he whispered. Cradling her cheeks in his hands, he leaned forward and kissed her softly and gently. "I love you, Victoria."

"And I love you, Diego," she whispered back. "No matter how you appear to be, you are always the man that holds my heart."

The next kiss lasted some time, and Diego was glad his father didn't see it or he'd probably not let them stay under the same roof until the day they were married.

"Sleep well, _mi querida_," Diego said softly.

"I think we'll all sleep a little better knowing our alcalde will be watching his step, for a while at least."

"And all without Zorro. Maybe the pueblo can learn to live without the legend."

"I hope so." Victoria smiled and gently kissed Diego once more. "I much prefer the man."

~Z~Z~Z~

Mid-morning the next day, Mateo arrived at the de la Vega hacienda, driving the cart. Ernesto checked over the contents of one of the boxes. Diego had just returned from the pueblo after taking Victoria back to the tavern.

"Leaving already?" he asked Ernesto, as he walked up to the wagon. Looking up at Mateo which was always a disconcerting experience for him, Diego said, "_Buenas días_. I trust you had an easy trip."

Mateo merely inclined his head with a slight smile. He was a man of few words.

Ernesto closed up the box and exited the cart. "I'm afraid so. Lucio and Graciana are expecting me, and as she's well... let's just say I expect to be an uncle again some time in the new year. Anyway, I'm taking a plethora of gifts from the family. Hence Mateo and the wagon."

"Well, safe journey," Diego said. "I look forward to seeing you again for a longer visit."

Ernesto looked at him with calculation. "I look forward to it too. Maybe the two of can find a quiet spot so I can find out just how rusty you've gotten."

Diego smiled slightly. For some reason, this no longer worried him. "And I can see if you've managed to remember which end of the sword you're supposed to hold."

Ernesto glared. "Just be glad I did something."

"Oh, I am. But it could have gone better," Diego said.

"Certainly, but it wouldn't have been nearly so funny," Ernesto replied. He mounted his own horse which stood near the cart, while Mateo in silence climbed onto the seat. "In any event, I have a feeling that when I return, you'll be too busy with a certain lady to want to do any such thing."

"We can always invite her to watch," Diego said, then paused thoughtfully. "If we can manage to get her away from the ladies of my family. I'm afraid that once they're here I won't be seeing much of her until the wedding."

"I'm sure you'll manage something," Ernesto said, pushing his glasses up on his nose and adjusting his hat. "Until we meet again, Diego."

"Until then," Diego replied. He watched as Ernesto and the wagon pulled away heading south. It had been good to see his friend again and a pleasure to know he could count on him to be the honest man he'd always been. He was even looking forward to getting an opportunity to see him again. He hoped that his father's new determination to get the caballeros more involved in the security of the pueblo would mean less work for Zorro, and perhaps allow for Diego to let his father know who he was without endangering him. He could only hope.

But that had gotten him this far, hadn't it?

The End

**Next Up:** "A Woman Scorned," a story I've been working on and off on since my "Rush to Judgement" story, though I've had to wait to finish it until after this was done as some events here have unexpectedly affected some scenes there.

And here is where I skip "Miracle of the Pueblo" entirely which would have been next. Trust me: you don't want me to do a Christmas story, especially with the mood I've been in lately. It happens, though there would be some slight changes to events (I think I'd prefer to have a delirious Mendoza or Diego dream the whole thing but I'm not going to do that), but I am not going to refer to Señor and Señora Jones at all, though I might, as the draft of "Woman Scorned" isn't quite done, mention Christmas in passing.

**End Notes:** "Silk Purses and Sow's Ears" really highlighted every one of Alejandro's worst characteristics. His pride, his temper, his impulsiveness. I was going to skip this episode until I realized that this episode highlighted all the reasons, above and beyond protecting his father, why Diego wouldn't want his father to know his secret. And originally that was all this story was going to be about, but obviously it got away from me. I wanted this to be about one thing, but Diego apparently preferred to spend time with Victoria, and things spiraled from there. I don't think I've ever lost control of a story in quite the way I've done this one. I'm sorry if the ending's weak or feels rushed, but I'm afraid I was getting quite desperate to get it to end.

I'm probably taking some liberties with the floor plan of Victoria's tavern, but since it's her home as well as her business, I'm making the assumption that she'd have at least one private sitting room with comfortable furniture for her own use. Besides, I'm getting hard pressed to think what an engaged couple can do in Los Angeles, and spending an afternoon cuddling on a sofa seemed like a good idea.

About Ernesto's spectacles. As a glasses wearing person myself, I did a little research to see what kind of spectacles would be available at the time. I was fascinated to discover that rigid sidearms for spectacles date to around 1727 though they took a while to catch on and that in Spain there was a fashion for using weighted ribbons over the ears. I figured that with Diego's scientific interests and Ernesto's desire for comfortable fit (as he needs something more stable than a quizzing glass) that they'd go for the more comfortable design. Now, I did do only a bare minimum of research and expect that Ernesto's temple spectacles are probably still somewhat anachronistic, but I still wanted him to have glasses, and as they're barely mentioned, it seems like I'm making a mountain out of molehill over the issue.

Also, I hope that Ernesto comes off well, as I think he's the first major non family member original character that I've introduced, and I've become rather fond of him. For some reason, I find it more intimidating to introduce friends than relatives, but I thought Diego needed a friend from outside Los Angeles that he could trust. I have also considered the possibility of letting the more roguish Estavan show up some time in the future (as there are a few plots that have more than enough leeway to add extra characters), but only if anyone is curious about him, as his personality is quite different from both Ernesto's and Diego's. Otherwise, he can simply continue to elude his father in Mexico City and get possibly passing mention again, if any of Diego's university back story becomes relevant. And of course, I do plan to have Ernesto come back for the wedding, but if he's an annoyance, he can always have business that keeps him away as well. Some things are still up in the air about future stories, so I can still be influenced to some extent when it comes to auxiliary characters and B-plots.

This series has finally broken the 100,000 word mark. I'm not sure whether to celebrate that achievement or quake at the thought of how much more I have to write and wonder just how many other stories are going to end up being more than four times as long as originally expected. Considering how this one got out of control, I'm starting to wonder just how long the wedding story is going to end being. Oh, well, one step at a time and one story at a time, and this story will finish its journey wherever it will.

I really do appreciate all forms of feedback, even if a story has been up for a while. A new review is always a cheering experience, and I could use some cheer as I finish up the next story even though I'm rather fond of it. I also have to thank Ghetto Outlaw for continuing to be beta reader and sounding board through out this overly elaborate series.


	19. A Woman Scorned 1

**Disclaimer:** Zorro belongs to ZPI Productions, and I am merely playing with the characters. I certainly have no claim on anything but my own ideas. And of course, anything you recognize from the episode "A Woman Scorned" isn't mine.

**Summary:** Wicked women are a particular challenge for Zorro.

**Author's Notes:** This one fits the T-rating a little (though not much) more than my stories usually do with some mild coarse language and slightly more suggestive themes. However, it's not because Zorro feels tempted by Señora Sinestra. The raciest parts of this story (and they aren't that racy) are strictly between Victoria and Diego or, if you want to be technical, Victoria and Zorro, then Victoria and Diego.

Also, I've been working on this story on and off since my "Rush to Judgement" story, so I really hope it comes off well, though it required some major editing once I finished the previous story.

**Hell Hath No Fury**

**(A Woman Scorned)**

**Part 1**

Zorro leaned back lazily in the chair, sombrero pulled down over his eyes. De Soto was too busy condemning another innocent man to death to pay any attention to an apparently sleeping peasant. Would De Soto never learn that justice should move slowly? He was getting tired of having to stop the man from making unforgivable mistakes.

De Soto said, "Jacinto Santana, you've been found guilty of murder. Confess. It will ease your soul."

"How can I confess to something I did not do?" the young man asked.

Laughing contemptuously, De Soto said, "As you wish."

Did De Soto really believe that the authorities in San Diego would thank him for executing the son of their alcalde without a proper trial? As De Soto got his men ready to fire, right on cue Toronado came riding into town, the dummy he'd placed on his back earlier drawing their fire, making it easy for him to deal with them and free Santana.

Zorro told him, "Wait for me on the outskirts of town. We'll need to hide you until the real murderer is found."

"_Gracias_, Zorro."

"_Vaya con Dios_," Zorro said, as the young man ran.

As townspeople begin to gather in the plaza. Zorro unsheathed his saber to deal with the lancers who now came at him. As soon as he'd finished with them, Zorro ran to Toronado, hopping onto his back and tossing the dummy from the saddle before riding over to De Soto.

"You arrested Jacinto Santana in the tavern, where he'd taken a room in his own name. He had no knowledge of the murder. And according to Señorita Escalante, he was devastated when you gave him the news of his father's death. These are not the actions of a guilty man!"

"The evidence against him..." De Soto spluttered.

"The evidence against him is as feeble as your sense of justice," Zorro interrupted angrily. Why had he ever thought De Soto to be intelligent? The man leapt to conclusions with minimal evidence and never seemed to doubt them, even if a little effort would show those conclusions to be faulty. "Jacinto swore he was already on his way to Los Angeles when his father was killed." He unsheathed his sword to point it at De Soto. "You will thank me, Alcalde, when the authorities in San Diego find the real murderer." He slashed a Z into De Soto's uniform. "_Adiós_."

He started to ride away, but stopped as he caught a glimpse of the woman who rode into town just before the attempted execution watching him from a spot just outside the alcalde's office. As he turned back to look, he was a little taken aback by the intensity of her expression. Who was she, and what was her purpose in Los Angeles? He realized that he was returning her stare a little too long and said, "_Buenos días_, Señorita," before saluting her politely and continuing on his way.

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria watched Zorro ride away with some regret. Diego was supposed to have gone to Santa Paula with Felipe this morning. However, because of De Soto's refusal to give Santana a proper trial, she knew Felipe was making the trip alone to take care of what business he could until Diego could join him which meant his simple trip was inevitably going to stretch several days. It was frustrating to have Diego so near and so far away. She couldn't talk to Zorro, and it was disorienting to see the man in the mask and not be able to expect Diego to come to town.

Now that De Soto's firing squad had failed, and he was busy sending out lancers to try to find Zorro and Santana, the merchants were now setting up their stalls. It was typical of their alcalde to have deliberately scheduled an execution on market day just to make a point. Of course the point he'd managed to make was that he was a fool who could always be thwarted by Zorro, but that was his own doing. However, it still didn't lessen her irritation with the man.

Silently cursing De Soto, Victoria composed herself as the woman who had attracted Zorro's attention crossed the plaza, carrying a small traveling bag.

"May I help you, Señora...?" Victoria asked politely.

"Sinestra— Alberta Sinestra. I'm a widow. I would like a room."

"Certainly, Señora. How long do you think you'll be staying?" Victoria asked, taking her bag and leading the way inside, feeling wary of this stranger, though she didn't understand why. Perhaps it was because she made a point of mentioning her widowhood while not remotely dressed in mourning.

"A few days at least," she said.

Victoria got the key and led the woman upstairs to the room at the end, placing her bag inside. As she turned to go, Señora Sinestra stopped her.

"Was that really Zorro I saw?" she asked in a breathy voice.

"Yes, that was Zorro," Victoria said evenly. It had taken a while for her to find the right balance of admiration and distance in referring to the masked hero.

"He really is everything the legends paint him to be," Señora Sinestra said, admiration clear in her voice.

"He is," Victoria said. "He's the hero of the people."

Señora Sinestra looked down at her curiously. "It's also rumored that he's involved in a romance with the local tavern w... with you. Is that true?"

Victoria sighed. That seemed to have lived longer outside the pueblo than within it, as she'd discovered when Diego's friend Ernesto visited a month ago. Well, the world seemed to love a romance, especially if it was doomed or somewhat scandalous. "That's a very old rumor, and an exaggerated one at that. It was never more than a public flirtation." The lie flowed easily. Victoria was hardly bothered by it any more. "A man with a price on his head can't afford to settle down, and I'm engaged to someone else." She was more brusque than she would normally be; there was something about this woman that made her wary. She didn't want to encourage any talk about Zorro and for some inexplicable reason, didn't even want to mention Diego's name either.

"I see," Señora Sinestra said, with an air of calculation that did nothing to alleviate Victoria's discomfort.

Victoria was used to women expressing personal admiration for Zorro, something that no longer bothered her the way it used to, as she was confident in Diego's love for her. However, there seemed to be something more than simple admiration in this woman's eyes. Victoria wished she knew what it was but didn't let it bother her too much as she walked back downstairs.

About fifteen minutes later, her new boarder, having changed her dress, walked down the stairs and out into the marketplace. A few minutes later Victoria had her basket and was going through the market herself. She didn't deliberately set out to follow the woman, but when De Soto made it a point of approaching Señora Sinestra, Victoria felt it couldn't hurt to find out a little more about her. She managed to get close enough to hear the obviously smitten De Soto asking about her family connections.

"Well, Señora, your beauty and refinement are welcome additions to our pueblo. Now, let me see. Sinestra... Your late husband's uncle is the owner of the Bank of Cadiz, yes? And... your own family... Forgive me, what was your maiden name again?"

The man was truly incapable of subtlety; something Victoria could sympathize with. She still had to fight to hold her tongue at times and learn to ask more indirect questions. In this case, his directness was working for her.

"I was raised in an orphanage. I didn't have a family name until I married." At De Soto's expression, she said, "You're shocked. But I always believe in being candid with a gentleman."

Somehow Victoria had difficulty believing this. It seemed to her that Señora Sinestra was hiding something significant. What she wasn't sure, but there was something in the woman's manner that deeply troubled her.

De Soto stuttered his reply, rather obvious in his reaction to the news that she had an unknown background. "Uh... Yes... No... Forgive me."

Señora Sinestra continued, "You see, the man that I shall marry won't care about my parentage or how much money my husband left me. He will be a man like Zorro."

_Not another one_, Victoria thought, though she wasn't really surprised after Sinestra's earlier comments. Well, perhaps she might find a man _like_ Zorro; she certainly wouldn't be getting Zorro himself. Zorro belonged to the people, but the man under the mask belonged to _her_, and she wasn't the kind to share.

De Soto though was clearly astounded. "Ahem. Well... Zorro! No, you're mistaken about Zorro, Señora, I assure you. Zorro is nothing more than a common thief, a criminal with a price on his head. A brigand. An outlaw..."

Victoria was barely paying attention to the man's ramblings, more interested in Señora Sinestra's sudden panicked look. She looked around to see what had startled the woman and spotted a strange man across the plaza. Events seemed to get muddled as she saw the man pull out a pistol and call Sinestra's name. De Soto shot the pistol from the man's hand as the señora ran.

"Stop that woman!"

Mendoza, who hadn't seen any of what had happened, heard only the command and grabbed her as she ran into him. De Soto held the man at sword point and demanded to know who he was.

"Jorge Ventura," the man said as he pulled a piece of parchment from inside his vest and handed it to De Soto. "Deputy to the provost marshal in Santa Fe. I've been following this woman for weeks. I almost caught up with her in San Diego, but she eluded me again. She's wanted, among other crimes, for the murder of her husband, Julio Sinestra."

Señora Sinestra immediately protested. "Ignacio, don't believe him! This man shot Julio down in cold blood over a game of cards."

Victoria wasn't entirely sure who to believe, but it was clear who De Soto did as he apologized to Ventura over Sinestra's increasingly desperate pleas. The cynical side of Victoria couldn't help but wonder if De Soto would have been so quick to side with Ventura if Señora Sinestra had come from an unimpeachable background and hadn't expressed an admiration for Zorro.

Ventura said, "Alcalde, will you hold this woman in your jail overnight? We'll start our journey back to Santa Fe in the morning."

Señora Sinestra continued to plead. "I beg you! I won't make it to the next village, much less to Santa Fe. I am the only witness to his crime!"

Somehow the more the woman protested her innocence the less Victoria was inclined to believe her. There was a theatricality to her protests that didn't feel genuine, but there was still a sliver of doubt, as Victoria was disconcerted by the fact that she was leaning to the same side as De Soto. The man had no sense of justice. Diego might have hope for him, but Victoria never really had from the moment he'd arrived with his absurd continental notions. It was against the grain to side with the man for any reason.

Since the jail was full, the señora was being placed under house arrest in her room at the tavern with Mendoza as her guard. As Victoria watched Mendoza push the still loudly protesting woman towards the tavern, she was struck by an odd suspicion.

Was it truly a coincidence that the same day Zorro freed a man claiming to be innocent of murder that a strange woman would also be accused of a murder while proclaiming her innocence? Or could this be some kind of trap set for the masked man? After all the bounty on his head was 6000 pesos, a great temptation for bounty hunters, and because of his chivalry, Zorro was more vulnerable to be led into a trap by a woman as Victoria already had reason to know. There was that woman who'd claimed to be Felipe's mother, the daughter of the commandant of Devil's Fortress who'd had him arrested, and that countess in France who turned out to be the mistress of the man who'd stolen the Musketeers' legacy (it had taken her forever to get the full story of that particular trip from him, and she was still sure that he'd left out a few details).

Of all times to be unable to contact Diego. Even if she made an excuse to go to the hacienda, she had no guarantee that he'd be there as he'd probably be out trying to discover proof of Jacinto Santana's innocence. On the other hand, it also meant there was a very good possibility that he wouldn't hear about this for some time. But on the off chance he would return to the cave during the day, Victoria decided to visit the hacienda during siesta, and even if he wasn't there, she could at least leave a message for him.

~Z~Z~Z~

It was evening when Zorro sneaked back into the pueblo. After his rescue of Jacinto Santana, he'd returned to town with the idea of going through and retrieving Santana's belongings which were still in his room at the tavern. As he'd been waiting for his opportunity to slip inside, he'd seen the arrest of Señora Sinestra and heard her proclaim her innocence. She sounded sincere enough, and this wouldn't be the first time a criminal had impersonated a law officer in order to get hold of an innocent person. However, after losing Santana, De Soto would be less inclined to leniency now, and Zorro couldn't afford to take a chance with someone's life if Señora Sinestra were telling the truth.

He'd spent the afternoon avoiding lancers and getting Santana to a safer location where he could hide for a few days. Then he'd spent some time asking him about any enemies his father may have had, but the young man couldn't think of any specific names though as alcalde of San Diego he would have made his share of enemies. There had been no specific threats recently.

By that time it was starting to get late, and he had no more time to do anything but head back to the pueblo. If the lady were really in danger, he needed to get her away as soon as possible. It was easy enough to slip into the tavern and to get around Mendoza who was enjoying a late night meal and who seemed intimidated enough by his not serious threat to cut him into pieces if he made a sound. He wished he dared speak to Victoria, but it wasn't safe considering the circumstances. He didn't want her suspected of helping him in this escape. They'd worked too hard on the separation between her and Zorro for him to risk compromising her now.

Señora Sinestra, fully dressed, lay sleeping on top of the bed. He was grateful to be spared the awkwardness of rescuing a woman in her nightclothes. As he stood watching her, she woke with a start.

"I heard you were in trouble," he said.

Señora Sinestra rose from the bed. She was quite a tall woman. Something he hadn't particularly noticed earlier but which he was more than aware of now as she stood uncomfortably close to him.

"I hoped you would come," she said in a breathy whisper, putting her hand on his chest in what was very definitely a caress.

At that moment, he really began to question the wisdom of this course of action, but he couldn't back out now, simply because she seemed to have the wrong idea of what kind of bandit he was.

"Señora," he said, stepping back, "we need to leave if I'm to get you away."

She nodded but looked at him with a sly and sensual smile. There was no time to deal with her apparent assumption that he had more on his mind than a simple rescue. Mendoza would only sit still so long. Taking her hand to make sure she kept up with him, he headed out the door with her and past Mendoza. They were halfway down the stairs when the debatable law officer suddenly appeared, pistol in hand.

"Not another step," he said. "Did you think I'd trust that fool sergeant to guard her by himself?"

Zorro regretted that he didn't have his sword out, but a pistol was a clumsy weapon— all he needed was a slight distraction. "Until you can prove you're truly a law officer, the lady is coming with me."

Behind him, he heard Victoria call out "Zorro!" which provided the distraction he needed. Jumping towards Ventura, he knocked the pistol down and then hit the man in the face. He could hear Mendoza calling out for the lancers, but out of the corner of his eye he could see Victoria stumble back, knocking Mendoza off his feet.

He had no more time to think as he reached the bottom of the stairs, Señora Sinistra close behind him, and he grabbed her hand again to pull her out of the tavern as quickly as possible. He could hear Victoria calling after him telling him not to do this, but he couldn't be sure if she meant it or if it was merely to keep suspicion off herself. More than ever he regretted not trying for a moment to see her before he started this rescue attempt, but again he had gone too far to back up at this point. Before the lancers could leave the garrison, he and Señora Sinestra were on Toronado heading out of the pueblo.

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria sat quietly in the corner of the main room of the tavern, all but forgotten as the alcalde demanded to know what had happened, while Ventura made some pointed comments about the incompetence of Mendoza. As she watched the exchanges between De Soto and Ventura and De Soto and the lancers, she became more convinced than ever that there was some sort of conspiracy between Señora Sinestra and the so-called deputy to the provost marshal to lead Zorro into a trap for the bounty.

Diego could be so naive about women, but Victoria took some comfort in the fact that even when he was too trusting, he always exercised a certain amount of caution. She could only hope that caution would not desert him tonight. She did know that he would be disinclined to ride blindly anywhere the señora requested. After all, his knowledge of the territory was unparalleled.

All Victoria could do for the moment was pretend to believe in the marshal and keep an eye on what he did, since she had no idea where Zorro might have taken the woman. Happily, Ventura didn't seem to think her at all involved in the escape as she'd been quite determined to try to stop Zorro, so hopefully, he wouldn't be too on his guard.

~Z~Z~Z~

Zorro was relieved to finally reach the abandoned windmill where he planned to leave Señora Sinestra while he got her a horse and some supplies so he could send her to a safe place. The ride on Toronado was probably the most uncomfortable he'd ever had, worse than his rescue of Mendoza and the time he had a concussion. He wished he could have had her ride in front of him. That way he could have avoided her more blatant caresses, which she pretended were just her way of holding on when he kept asking her to stay still.

On the ride, he had to wonder if she was acting this way because she assumed that he was the kind of bandit who would demand "favors" of any woman he'd rescued or if she were the kind who got a thrill from the illicit and _hoped _he was that kind of bandit. It didn't really matter; he knew enough of the world to realize that simply because someone had one vice didn't mean they had every vice. Even if Señora Sinestra were of a promiscuous disposition, it didn't necessarily follow that she was also a murderess.

However, knowing that did not ease the awkwardness of the situation when she pressed herself against him after he helped her down from Toronado, and he realized he was probably going to have to straight out tell her that there was nothing he wanted in exchange for rescuing her. As it was starting to get cooler, Zorro pulled a blanket from Toronado's saddlebags and handed it to Señora Sinestra before grabbing a small bag with some food and heading into the building, with the lady following rather close behind him.

As the door closed, Zorro felt a certain amount of regret for bringing this woman to the same place where he and Victoria had taken shelter on the way back from Santa Paula and she'd discovered his secret. Unfortunately, he knew this was the best place to keep the señora safely out of the way of the lancers until he could get her to a more secure location.

He was a bit more relieved when she stood quietly near the door while he gathered together enough fuel for a fire, even though he could feel her eyes burning through him as he worked. The way she was watching him made him even more uncomfortable, as if she were starving and he were a particularly desirable meal. He knew he should say something, but this was one thing he hated to deal with and always hoped he could use more indirect methods. Of course, most of the methods he had relied on belonged more to Diego than Zorro, and at the moment he was having a hard time thinking of a way to adapt them, as it had been a long time since he'd needed to use any of them. Perhaps, as long as she didn't get more forward, he could continue to ignore her attentions and get away without any further awkwardness.

Once the fire was lit, he looked around the room. It should be comfortable enough for her until he got back, and there was enough food that she shouldn't get too hungry before he returned. Before he could turn to tell her he was leaving, she was suddenly there beside him. He took a step back, but she stayed close.

Before he could speak, she said huskily, "How can I thank you for saving me?"

Moving to the side and closer to the door, he replied evenly, "There is no need for you to thank me, Señora. Too often justice is ignored in Los Angeles." He hoped that it was clear enough that he hadn't rescued her for any nefarious purpose.

She wasn't deterred. Moving closer, she whispered, "But what if I should like to show my appreciation, señor?" She tried sliding her hands up his shoulders, but he grabbed them and stepped away.

He could barely stop himself from cringing at her use of the word_ appreciation_, as it reminded him of what he had told Victoria right after his first adventure wearing the mask. "There is really _no_ need, Señora. I simply try to be of help," he said, still holding onto her hands to keep her at a distance, which was proving somewhat difficult since he didn't want to hurt her. "Now, I really must be going. You should be safe enough here until tomorrow." He found himself backing up a half step at a time and angled himself to make sure he was heading in the direction of the door.

"You're leaving me here— alone?" she asked incredulously, then in a softer voice: "Can't you stay?" She was still trying to get close, and he could see a glint in her eye as he kept backing away. How could she not get the hint?

And he was definitely _not_ staying here a moment longer than he had to. He was hoping somehow to find a little time to get some sleep during the day, and there was no way he'd dare try to get that sleep here. There was something about this woman that made him very nervous, above the fact that she seemed oblivious to the fact that he didn't want what she was offering. Could she really be a murderer after all? "I have to go. You're going to need a horse and provisions. That will take time, and I'll move faster alone. There will be patrols to avoid. But they are unlikely to even approach this place before tomorrow night, and you should be on your way by then."

"But I feel safer with you," she insisted, pressing closer as his back finally hit the wall next to the door.

He wished she wasn't so tall. It was quite difficult to keep talking with her face so near to his. He did _not _want her trying to kiss him, and at this distance, it would be more of a challenge to stop her. "You'll be even safer further from Los Angeles," he said. "I must go, Señora." He released her hands in order to slip out of the door.

She grasped his arm before he could leave. "Are you always such a _gentleman_, Señor Zorro?" she asked. "Surely you don't have to be in such a hurry."

Since the only woman who'd truly tempted him to ungentlemanly behavior while he'd been wearing the mask was now engaged to his unmasked self, he didn't think it was lying to say, "I always strive to be a gentleman, Señora Sinestra, and I _do_ need to be in a hurry. After all, you are still in danger, so stay inside. I'll return as soon as I am able."

"But in the dark, how much time can you save?" she persisted. "Won't you stay and rest a while?" Her eyes trailed down his frame before returning to his face.

"I know this territory very well," he replied, knowing that she had no intention of letting him rest if he stayed. He pried her hand off him. "And I really must go." Then he was out the door before she could do anything else.

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria had a restless night, worried that Ventura might slip out without her knowing it, though she realized he would be as unlikely to know where the two of them had gone as she did. That didn't make it any easier to sleep. She couldn't help but wonder if Diego was safe, if he was being as cautious as he should be. He was too chivalrous for his own good at times.

Also, this was the first time since she'd learned his secret that Victoria needed to talk to Zorro with Diego not being readily available, and it was incredibly frustrating to not know how to reach him. Normally, she'd find Felipe, but since he was in Santa Paula carrying out most of the errands Diego was supposed to be doing, she didn't have that resource either. She couldn't even rely on Don Alejandro to pass on a message to Diego if he managed to return, as he'd ridden south to visit his cousin Ricardo de la Vega for a few days as well as speak with Doña Catalina.

Now that the Christmas season had passed, he was getting more focused on the upcoming wedding as well as his determination to discover more about the political situation than he could get in letters and Doña Catalina somehow always seemed to know more than anyone really should. It was an unfortunate coincidence that his trip south managed to overlap with Diego's trip, since Diego had only expected to be gone overnight at the most. But thinking about her regrets didn't help her determine a solution to her dilemma.

Despite her worry, Ventura was still around in the morning. In fact, to Victoria's surprise, he seemed quite content to let the alcalde and his men conduct the search for Señora Sinestra while he waited in town.

When she asked, he said, "I've been traveling for some time, and they're more familiar with the immediate territory. I'll give them today to try to find her. If they don't, I'll start after her tomorrow. Sooner or later, I'm going to catch her, and I'll go through Zorro to get her if I have to."

This did nothing to allay Victoria's suspicions or concerns, but there was nothing much she could do when the man went back to his room after breakfast, though she kept one eye on his room during the day as she worked. He only emerged from his room at lunch and returned just as quickly when he was done. Victoria began to think that either he was really who he said he was or his job was to remain in the pueblo and seem unsuspicious, which would mean they'd have to have other accomplices. She finally decided that it would be a good idea to go to the de la Vega hacienda and see if Diego had found the note she had left for him in the cave. As there were several other errands she needed to do, she took the wagon.

When she arrived at the de la Vega hacienda, she took a few minutes to discuss her new dresses with Luisa and get dragged into trying one on to see what adjustments needed to be made. Once she managed to finish that she did manage to make it down to the cave for a few minutes. To her frustration, it seemed as if Diego hadn't made it back at all, as her note appeared untouched. Not knowing what else to do, she added another sheet that briefly described what happened after he'd left and implored him to be careful. Looking around the cave with a sigh, Victoria slipped back upstairs and headed back to the tavern, hoping that her fox had lost none of his cunning.

~Z~Z~Z~

Putting a good distance between the windmill and himself as well as Los Angeles, Zorro stopped at a secluded cave half-way to where he intended to acquire the horse and supplies for the señora and managed to get a few hours of sleep. Strangely, he found himself dreaming of a lady with red hair and blue eyes, who'd confused him very much when he was younger. She had been charming, vivacious... and married, a fact he couldn't overlook though it didn't seem to weigh on her mind at all, since her husband apparently preferred to remain at their country estate and she in Madrid.

Doña Maribel already had quite a reputation when he met her during one of the university holidays, but he'd been too occupied with his studies up to that point to be aware of society gossip, and his aunt and uncle weren't the kind to indulge in it. That had been part of his difficulty. He'd never really paid too much attention to what was going on at many of the larger gatherings he'd gotten dragged to, usually sticking close to his uncle or Ernesto, being very polite to most of the people he met but not really getting too involved in the personal side of things. However, when he met Doña Maribel, he'd been at loose ends.

His uncle had a cold, and his aunt insisted on his going anyway, and since Sir Edmund had been called away on a family emergency, he didn't even have the excuse of extra practice to save him. His friend Ernesto was attending his brother Julián's wedding, and Estavan had decided to spend his holiday traveling looking for games of chance and willing women, not the kind of holiday that appealed to Diego. So for the first time in a long time, he'd been alone when he met her that particular evening.

She'd been charming and attentive and not at all put off by his conversational techniques, and for once he hadn't really minded, though her flirtatious manner did make him slightly, but not too, uneasy, as he'd already met a few married ladies who enjoyed flirting but would never encourage anything further. He'd been feeling a bit lonely and frustrated, and she was very kind to him, so he let himself enjoy what he thought was a relatively innocent friendship, glad to speak with her whenever they met again. It truly _had_ seemed innocent to him, at least until that night on the balcony.

To this day, he still wasn't certain how it had happened, though in hindsight he realized that she had been manipulating the entire situation and that he hadn't even noticed what she was doing. He certainly hadn't had any intention of kissing her and yet he did, though he felt guilty immediately afterwards, guilty and unsure of what to do about it. He'd been lucky that his uncle had seen what was going on and helped him disentangle himself before he had anything worse to regret, especially in light of the scandal that had erupted a couple of months after the last time he had seen her.

Doña Maribel's husband had apparently grown tired of the country and ended up catching her in a compromising situation with her latest conquest. The husband died in the subsequent duel; her young lover had to leave the country; and she'd been forced to leave herself as there was too much talk that she'd deliberately set out to rid herself of her husband. Diego had never really believed that, but perhaps that's because he remembered how kind yet heedless she'd been. She seemed exactly the kind of person to never see past getting what she wanted, consequences good or bad, yet she seemed not to particularly care too much if she succeeded or failed. She simply seemed not to have a particular moral compass when it came to sexual fidelity, but Diego didn't believe she was the type to cold-bloodedly plan her husband's death. But perhaps that was also because he had been too embarrassed by the fact that he'd been on the verge of compromising his own moral principles with her.

He still didn't like to dwell on those days too closely and was disturbed by the dream he had, though he assumed it had been prompted by Señora Sinestra's forward behavior, seeing parallels that might or might not be there. The woman disturbed him, but he still wasn't inclined to think she was a murderess. Perhaps just a desperate woman trying to assure herself of a protector. After all, he knew nothing of what her life had been. In any event he would be relieved to get her to the safety of the mission of San Pedro and find some way of learning the truth of the matter.

Shaking the last remnants of the dream from his head, Zorro continued on his way. For this rescue, he didn't dare use anything identifiably belonging to the de la Vegas, nor did he want to put anyone else at risk. However, there was a man who owed Zorro his life and who lived far enough out of Los Angeles that he was unlikely to be bothered by the lancers. He also wouldn't mind selling Zorro what he'd needed or concealing that fact from anyone who asked. He was quite a gifted liar, a fact which had directly led to his needing rescue in the first place. As Zorro had hoped, Bernardo sold him a serviceable horse and provisions for a reasonable sum and didn't ask any questions.

~Z~Z~Z~

It was late afternoon before Zorro managed to return to the windmill. It had taken some time to be sure of avoiding the patrols, and it was with some relief that he noted that he'd been right that they hadn't been near the windmill since he'd left. Señora Sinestra was waiting for him when he walked in. Again she stood far too close to him, forcing him to find a way to add to the space between them. This time he lifted up the bag he was carrying to use as a barrier between them. She didn't seem to notice what he was doing as she watched him with bright eyes.

With a calmness he didn't really feel, Zorro said, "I brought a fresh horse and provisions for your journey. Ride to the mission at San Pedro and wait there."

"Wait for what?" she asked. "Come away with me right now."

He was getting very annoyed by her inability to understand that he wasn't interested in her, but he still preferred to pretend to not understand rather than confront her directly. "Señora, I understand your desire to be free, but I trust you to stay at the mission until your innocence is determined."

"My _innocence_?" she repeated incredulously. "Ventura killed my husband. I saw him. And if he has the slightest chance, he will kill me too. You must believe that. You rescued me." She slid her arms up his shoulders as he tried backing away.

"As I would anyone in danger," he said, dropping the bag he was carrying to once again grab at her hands, feeling a disquieting sense of deja vu. Why wouldn't she take the hint? He'd done nothing to indicate he wanted to do anything other than help her. What would make her think he'd want to run away with her?

She looked at him in disbelief. "Are you truly such a monk?" she asked. "Never tempted to take advantage of the freedom of wearing a mask? No matter how willing the woman?"

He winced at her questions. Not that being compared to a monk particularly bothered him. He'd had temptations enough in his life, especially when he'd been far away from home and convinced Victoria would be married before he returned, and he'd been... not proud... relieved that he'd managed to hold on to his self-respect and self-control, even if by the skin of his teeth. However, as for taking advantage of wearing a mask— that was a little too close to what he _had_ done with Victoria before she found out the truth. Not that he'd actually tried what this woman was implying, but he'd known his behavior hadn't been what it should have been. "Señora, I wear the mask to protect my identity, not to take advantage of others."

"I find that very hard to believe," she said, before continuing in what he supposed he thought was a persuasive manner. "Listen. I have money. More money than you can imagine. We'll start a new life together, far from here, somewhere where they've never heard of Zorro."

How could he be any more obvious that he didn't want her? That he was only trying to help. "Señora, my duty is here in this pueblo. I have no desire to abandon it."

The look in her eyes chilled him. "I don't believe you stay because of duty. It's that tavern wench. I heard how she called out to you, and I'm sure you didn't play the monk with her. The whole territory knows she's been your woman, even if she's going to marry someone else. What happened? Did she find someone more prosperous? Or does she need someone willing to claim a bandit's bastard?"

He froze in anger. He had never struck a woman before, but he was fighting the temptation right now. With effort he managed to say, "Señorita Escalante is a virtuous and honorable lady who's marrying the man she loves, Señora. She doesn't deserve such insinuations, and I think it's time you were on your way."

To his surprise she laughed incredulously, setting his teeth on edge. "A lovelorn bandit. Who would have thought of such a thing? Why pine over someone who doesn't want you when you could have another? Come away with me."

Zorro stood very still from the effort to control his anger. This woman might not be a murderer, but there was clearly something wrong with her, something he couldn't quite understand. With an effort, through gritted teeth, he said, "Señora, the answer is and always will be 'no'; I helped you for no other reason than to protect you from possible danger. I want nothing from you in return, and I have no reason or desire to run away from my home. I don't know how I can make myself plainer." He was trying to keep his growing repugnance under control, but he didn't know how much more he could take, as his temper was so much on edge he was afraid he'd do something he'd regret.

Her own eyes blazed at him, when she finally seemed to understand. "Fine then. You've made your choice and you'll pay for it, Señor." She brushed past him and left, ignoring the bag of provisions on the floor.

He stood there stunned for longer than he liked, trying comprehend what just happened, why Señora Sinestra had behaved as she had. The sound of the other horse's hooves had faded away before he managed to bring himself to exit the windmill. He contemplated just riding straight home in order to switch identities so that he could join Felipe in Santa Paula, but his feelings of chivalry wouldn't let him ignore the dangers a woman distracted by anger could be riding into and instead set off in the direction of San Pedro, with the thought of keeping an eye on her from a distance.

He too was suffering from a bit of distraction as it took him almost three miles to determine that she wasn't heading towards San Pedro at all. A strange foreboding filled him as he backtracked to find her trail, wondering where she would be heading if not to a place of safety.

~tbc~


	20. A Woman Scorned 2

**Hell Hath No Fury**

**(A Woman Scorned)**

**Part 2**

The evening wasn't any better than the day. Victoria had closed early because she wasn't up to dealing with any more customers, not that there had been that many, since most of the lancers were out looking for Señora Sinestra and Zorro. Ventura was still waiting around, and Victoria was starting to fear that he was an honest man which meant that there was a strong possibility that Diego was out there alone with a murderess. Going up to her room, Victoria took her ring out of its box and put it on her finger. Somehow she felt a little better with it in its proper place.

As she sat there she was disturbed by a noise from below. Had she forgotten to lock the back door? She had been a bit distracted. Slipping out of her room, Victoria walked down the stairs, listening and looking. Despite that, she almost jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she was relieved to see it was only Ventura.

"Señor Ventura, you startled me," she said. "I heard a noise."

"So did I," he replied, crossing the room towards the kitchen. "Wait here."

Victoria followed him carefully, waiting as he stepped into the kitchen. As she stood there she was startled by the sound of a shot and a thud. Knowing that this wasn't wise, Victoria still walked tentatively towards the kitchen.

"Señor Ventura?" she asked as she opened the curtain to see Ventura barely standing upright blood flowing from a wound in his shoulder. Unable to stop herself, Victoria screamed.

The man staggered forward towards the bar, and Victoria tried but failed to keep him from falling over. She didn't have time to see how badly he was wounded as almost immediately after he'd fallen to the floor, Señora Sinestra appeared from the kitchen a knife in her hand.

Now Victoria was truly panicked. What was the woman doing here? And if she were here, what had happened to Diego? She couldn't have killed him, could she?

"Where's Zorro?" Victoria demanded, backing away, trying to find a weapon. "He was with you." _Please God, let him not be dead_.

Victoria didn't know what she expected the woman to say, but the next words out of her mouth managed to frighten her even more, because they revealed that Sinestra was not simply murderous but mad. "That's right. He's done with you. He loves me now!" She struck at Victoria with the knife.

Grabbing a small bench, Victoria managed to bring it up before the knife hit her. But as she tried twisting it around the knife cut her arm causing her to drop the bench. Running backwards, Victoria tried to put a post between them, as Sinestra struck at her again, but almost like a miracle, Zorro was there beside her catching Sinestra's wrist before the knife could strike home.

"You have such a twisted view of love," he said, "I truly pity you, Señora. You're going back to Santa Fe to stand trial." He twisted the knife from her hand.

Victoria could hardly contain her relief to see him, though she had to wonder what had happened that had caused this madwoman to come after her. She knew he would never have said anything about her directly.

Sinestra backed away. "Ventura was just like my husband and just like that alcalde in San Diego. Prying, snooping, always thinking they were smarter than me. Well, I showed them. They all deserved to die." She ran for the door. "And so do you! Lancers! Zorro!"

Victoria could hear the lancers outside. Zorro had followed Sinestra to the door. Now that the madwoman had no weapon, Victoria could see his chivalrous nature reasserting itself. Well, Victoria had no reason to hold back. That woman had tried to kill her, wanted the man she loved dead. With all the anger she felt, Victoria punched her as hard as she could, knocking the woman out. Zorro caught Sinestra before she hit the ground.

"Feel better?" he asked with a smile.

"Much better," Victoria replied, glad to have been able to do something at last.

They didn't have any more time as the lancers were running across the plaza. Zorro pulled her to the side as he stood near the rope to the chandelier. When the lancers were under the chandelier he cut the rope. All but one went down and it took Zorro but another moment to knock him out. Victoria could hear more noises outside.

"You'd better go," she said, holding her hand over the cut on her arm.

Looking at her with concern, he said, "You've been hurt."

"I'll be fine," she said. "You really should go. I can tell them what happened here. Go!"

One more look and reluctantly he disappeared up the stairs. Victoria forced herself to not watch him leave as she hurried around the side of the bar to grab one of her clean cloths to wrap around her cut. She stood up just in time to see De Soto pulling a conscious Sinestra up from the floor.

"Quickly, Ignacio. Zorro was here. He killed Ventura," she said.

Before Victoria could protest, she heard Ventura's voice. "Sorry to disappoint you, Señora."

"Ventura, you've been shot," De Soto said.

"Yes. You can add attempted murder to her charges," he said.

Señora Sinestra tried running, but a lancer caught her before she could get too far.

Victoria walked around the bar and said, "And she confessed to the murder of Alcalde Santana in San Diego as well as her husband."

"What?" De Soto gasped.

"She's lying!" Sinestra screeched.

"No... she's not... I heard it as well," Ventura said.

Looking thoroughly nonplused, De Soto turned to his men. "Lancers, get Ventura to a doctor." A couple of men helped Ventura up and out the door. Then De Soto spoke to the men holding Señora Sinestra. "Take her to my office." Only then did he seem to notice the cloth on Victoria's arm. "Señorita Escalante, do you need a doctor?"

"No, it's only a scratch," Victoria said. "She didn't do too much damage. I'll be fine."

De Soto hesitated. "If you say so."

"I do," Victoria said, wanting the man to go but not being able to resist a jab at his idiotic approach to justice. "A cut was worth it to find out Jacinto Santana was innocent."

"Ah, yes," De Soto said with only mild embarrassment. "Well, we'll need to take your statement tomorrow about that."

"Fine. Tomorrow," Victoria said, impatiently. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd really like to lock up and get some rest."

"Of course," De Soto said before turning and leaving.

Victoria locked the front and back doors quickly, starting to feel a little sick and queasy as the excitement quieted down. She kept medical supplies in her bedroom for emergencies, so she headed directly for the stairs. The moment she was inside her room, she found herself enveloped in a black silk clad embrace.

"Zorro!" she exclaimed involuntarily, even though with the tavern being empty and locked there was no need to use that name. It was too ingrained a habit. "Why are you still here?"

"I couldn't leave without being sure you were all right," he said.

The moment he released her, she turned and locked the door before letting him insist she sit down on her bed while he looked after the cut on her arm. He'd already taken off his gloves and hat but left the mask on. It was a strange sensation to sit here with Diego while he was dressed as Zorro. She wasn't sure how to behave, even behind two locked doors in an empty tavern. What she wanted to do was pull the mask straight off his head, but worried that he might need to leave in a hurry, she simply sat and let him work.

He seemed equally uncomfortable but for some other reason. As he started wrapping her arm, he said, "Victoria, I'm sorry about this. That woman... I thought I was helping someone in trouble... I didn't realize..."

"I didn't either," Victoria interrupted. "I didn't trust her, but I thought she was trying to lead you into a trap for the bounty. I didn't think she was insane."

He looked up at her in surprise before his gaze dropped back to her arm as he finished tying off the bandage. His voice was softer and filled with guilt. "I should have realized... I simply thought she was..." he stopped. "I don't know how she figured out I love you. I never mentioned your name, until she insulted you, and all I did was defend your character and say you were engaged. I didn't think she'd blame you for my not wanting... not being interested in her. And I swear I didn't..."

Victoria put the fingers of her other hand over his mouth. "Shh... I know. I know you, and I love you. It wasn't your fault. She'd heard the old rumors about us, and she was insane."

He lifted his hand to caress her neck and leaned forward to kiss her. It felt strange to be kissing him while he was wearing a mask, wrong even, since she'd been spending so much time pretending Zorro wasn't Diego, but right now she saw no need to pretend he was anything but the man she loved. She'd been so afraid for him she needed his closeness right now, and they were alone and would certainly have warning if someone wanted in downstairs. He didn't seem to care either as he pulled her closer with his other arm, kissing her with greater fervor. She forgot all about the pain in her arm as his lips moved down her neck, and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

As he kissed her, Victoria slid her legs over his in order to get even closer to him, twisting slightly to kiss his jaw, her hand slipping under the collar of his shirt to his shoulder. She tried to remember why this was a bad idea, as he moved back up to kiss her lips again. They'd kissed before, but it had never felt quite like this. Somehow the top button of his shirt had come loose, and Victoria pressed kisses to his exposed skin while his hands caressed her back. Trying to pull him even closer, Victoria forgot her sore arm and hissed as a sudden pain shot up her arm.

"Victoria," he said in concern, letting go of her and sliding back to the end of the bed.

Victoria was having trouble with her breathing and not because of the pain. "I'm all right."

Nodding, he reached out a hand for her before pulling it back. He looked as frustrated as she felt, and in a sudden movement he rose and grabbed his hat and gloves before going to the window. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." He looked down. "I should let Jacinto Santana know that he's been cleared." He leaned back against the wall still looking at Victoria, as he put his gloves back on.

Victoria's hand clenched in the material of her skirt. It was hard to sit still when all she wanted was to be in his arms, but she remembered why this was a bad idea. Softly, she said, "Once you've told him that his father's murderer has been caught, please make sure Diego gets home from his trip as soon as possible."

From his place next to the open window, he said, "By tomorrow afternoon at the latest." He looked at her for a long moment, hesitating as if he wanted to say something more, but then with a deep breath, he saluted her in Zorro fashion before disappearing out the window.

After a minute, Victoria crossed to the window, staring out into the darkness, letting the night air cool her heated blood, twisting her engagement ring around her finger almost absently. She was thoroughly chilled by the time she closed the window and went to change for bed.

~Z~Z~Z~

Victoria spent a very sleepless night. It wasn't just that her arm pained her. She was feeling such an odd mixture of longing and guilt that she couldn't entirely explain. She understood why she felt guilty about the fact that she hadn't wanted them to stop despite the fact they weren't yet married; that part was easy enough. She'd known that the moment he'd pulled away from her before leaving. But there was something else, something she couldn't quite put a name to. It was mid morning before she'd realized what it was.

Diego had been wearing the wrong clothes. That thought gave her pause. She knew Diego was Zorro; why should she feel so guilty about kissing him while he was wearing black when they were all alone?

Then she thought about what might happen if he'd stayed rather than left. Zorro seen leaving the tavern shortly after rescuing her from a murderess wouldn't cause any real comment. But Zorro seen leaving much later (though unlikely as he was good at stealth) would be disastrous. Victoria immediately thought of two possible outcomes both of which were horrible. The first that someone would assume that she was betraying Diego with Zorro. And terrible as that thought was, Victoria thought the second possibility infinitely worse: that someone would make the connection that Diego was Zorro. She would rather be thought a trollop than have Diego's life be at risk. It almost seemed odd to realize that Diego being seen leaving the tavern at an unseemly hour of the morning wouldn't be even remotely as scandalous in light of their engagement.

Still trying to work out everything in her mind, Victoria was grateful when Doctor Hernandez came by early to check her arm, just in case. She hadn't actually thought about the fact that the neat bandage Diego had tied was something she would have had difficulty managing on her own, but now she could say that the doctor had looked at her arm without any concern about any particularly perceptive individuals asking questions, as Zorro had apparently left before De Soto arrived. While the doctor was changing the bandage, she asked about Ventura, who was doing well, but still sleeping.

Since her arm was sore, Victoria was forced to rely on Alicia and Pilar to do most of the work with Teresa assisting them. As she had more time on her hands she spent most of the morning feeling very frustrated by the weird twists in her and Diego's relationship. It was all so simple when he could keep his distance as Zorro.

In fact he'd been able to do that since before their public courtship started. Their public interactions had been all that was polite and courteous, but he hadn't really had to do more than deal with the alcalde damaging her tavern or cheating at the election. But last night had been different; she'd been in direct danger from a madwoman who'd seen her as a threat because of the old stories of their romance or perhaps the woman had actually figured out something from the way Zorro had reacted to the insults he'd said Sinestra had made. It didn't matter, since the fact that Sinestra had asked her about those stories would be enough to explain why she'd blame Victoria for Zorro's rejection of her, which was what she planned to say if asked when she talked to De Soto.

~Z~Z~Z~

It was late morning when Victoria walked over to the cuartel to speak with De Soto. He was unaccountably polite to her, offering her a chair, asking how her arm was feeling and if she'd had someone see to it. She wondered at his behavior but acted as if it were completely natural on his part, since she was hoping to get through this interview with a minimum of difficulty, and told him she felt well enough all things considered. She looked around and wasn't surprised to see Jorge Garcia sitting at a small table with writing materials at the ready. Thanks to Diego's training, he'd become quite adept at recording conversations and had excellent penmanship as well, so besides working on the _Guardian_ he was also handy for writing out official documents with precision.

"Well, yes, good," De Soto said. "Now are you ready to make your statement?" He looked from Victoria over to Jorge.

"Yes, I am," Victoria said, feeling wary.

She kept it simple, describing what happened with Ventura and Sinestra without elaborating on anything she or Sinestra had said before she came to the woman's confession after Zorro had wrenched the knife from her. De Soto was insistent to hear the exact words.

"I'm not sure I can quote her word for word," Victoria said reluctantly. "But to the best of my knowledge she said that Ventura was just like her husband and the alcalde in San Diego, and rambled something about snooping and prying and thinking they were smarter than her— she wasn't making too much sense then— and then she said they deserved to die and Zorro did too." Victoria hoped she was conveying the right amount of feeling about the attack, about her gratitude to Zorro for saving her life.

"That seems clear enough since she'd just tried to kill Ventura and you." De Soto looked down at some papers on his desk and then back up. "It's hard to believe that she'd come all the way back to town when she could have kept on fleeing— thanks to Zorro." The last was said in a bitter undertone.

"I suppose she knew Ventura would just keep after her, and she couldn't count on Zorro to protect her once it became obvious Ventura was who he said he was," Victoria said evenly, glad that De Soto didn't seem to realize that Sinestra had deliberately set out after her as well as Ventura. If she was lucky, De Soto would think that she was a target just because she was there. She had some doubts that Ventura was aware of everything that was said or would think it significant if he was. Despite her nervousness and reluctance to speak about Zorro, there was something she was going to point out to him. "Zorro may have made a mistake to begin with, but he's not the only one who's been mistaken this past week, though I'd call his a mistake of compassion rather than judgement. In any event, he saved my life, and I'm grateful for that," she paused, and then added, "And I'm sure that Diego and his father will be grateful as well." Another pause. "Oh, and I'm sure that the people of San Diego will be grateful that the true murderer of their alcalde has been apprehended."

De Soto's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes," he said flatly as he picked up the papers in front of him and placed them off to the side. "I'm certain they all will." He paused as something seemed to come to him. "Oh, before I forget, who knocked out the señora?"

"I did," Victoria said. "After all, she tried to kill me and confessed to murder, and Zorro's too much of a gentleman to hit a woman. Not something I have to worry about."

"No, I would say not." De Soto looked her up and down appraisingly for a moment. Then in a business like tone, said, "Thank you, Señorita, that should be all I require for the moment. I'll let you know when your statement is ready for you to sign."

The man's voice fairly dripped with insincerity but Victoria didn't care. She was just grateful that he was obviously weary of talking to her. She rose from her seat and made her way to the door. "_Buenas días_, alcalde."

She crossed the plaza, relieved that everything went as well as it did. Now, it was simply a question of waiting for Diego to come home. He had promised by the afternoon, but she still had no idea of when that would be. Her helpers were handling everything well enough without her, and in fact, insisted on her taking it easy, so in order to distract herself, she picked up a book and stretched out on the sofa in the sitting room, facing the open door so she could see Diego when he arrived.

Despite her abstraction, she managed to get involved in the novel. The heroine was a spoiled rich girl who thought she knew more about everyone's business than they did, but it was clear to Victoria that she wasn't as clever as she thought she was, and that made it interesting. She wasn't impossibly good or virtuous, and considering that Victoria's life was already full of more intrigue and danger than she liked, she found a great respite in the absence of highwaymen, mocking fiends, or murderous madwomen. She in fact got so absorbed that she was quite startled when she heard Diego's voice.

Looking up, she saw him standing in the doorway, a concerned expression on his face, and dropping her book she got up and launched herself into his arms. He held her very tightly for some time.

"Are you all right, Victoria?" he asked her in a soft voice.

"I am now that you are back," she replied softly, not willing to let him go,

Much sooner than she liked, he let go to look at her arm. "Sgt. Mendoza told me what happened," he said, then in a tone that conveyed what he really meant. "I wish I could have been here."

"So do I," Victoria murmured. "But I'm fine, and it's only a scratch." She led him over to the sofa. He kept hold of her hands as they sat down. She glanced at the open door. It was unlikely that anyone was listening, but she wasn't going to take a chance. "How was your trip?"

Diego's thumbs traced circles over the backs of her hands. "Uneventful," he said briefly. "Everything was taken care of. The material arrived, and my violin should be repaired in a couple of weeks. Felipe's taken the wagon home, and I came here as quickly as I could." He lowered his voice. "As promised."

Victoria leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "I'm glad," she said. "It hasn't been the same without you here." Sometime soon they'd have to discuss what to do in situations like the one they'd just been in. There had to be some way to communicate. However, they couldn't talk about that now, though she could ask another question. "What did Sergeant Mendoza tell you?"

"That there was trouble with an accused murderess that Zorro rescued and who came back and tried to kill you and the man who'd been tracking her. However, he did emphasize that Zorro saved your life," Diego said. "I think he didn't want me to get angry with Zorro for his mistake." He looked at her arm. "I'm afraid he failed in that, as I certainly do blame him for being so foolish and putting you in danger."

"I don't," Victoria said firmly. "As I told the alcalde earlier, he made a mistake of compassion. Even Zorro can be wrong. I'm not going to blame him for an honest mistake." She gave him a knowing look. "And I don't want you to do it either." She was determined to not let him berate himself for being wrong, not when he had only been concerned with the possibility of saving someone's life.

Diego sighed. "I will try, my love," he said. "However, it won't be easy..." He shook his head slightly. "Maybe, if you could tell me everything that happened... while I was gone. Mendoza wasn't very detailed, and I very much want to hear the whole story."

"All right," Victoria said. "But in exchange, _later_ I want to hear every detail of your own trip." She very much wanted to know everything that had transpired between Zorro and Sinestra, as she wondered just how much Diego had had to put up with from the woman. But _that _conversation would have to wait until they had guaranteed privacy.

"As you wish," Diego said, obviously understanding what she meant, though she could tell by his expression that he wasn't looking forward to it.

With a smile that she hoped conveyed that she didn't either blame or suspect him of anything, Victoria told him about everything that happened from the time of Zorro's rescue of Jacinto Santana up to her meeting with the alcalde earlier in the day, leaving out only her trips to the cave and, of course, making absolutely no mention of what happened in her bedroom. She did enjoy mentioning De Soto's brief infatuation with Señora Sinestra before finding out her orphan status and more critically her admiration for Zorro, though she regretted mentioning the last or the earlier questions Sinestra had asked about her and Zorro's relationship, as Diego looked quite pained that he hadn't known that. The rest of the story was delivered more dispassionately, since she knew Diego was feeling guilty for unwittingly placing her in danger, and she didn't want to overly emphasize anything that might exacerbate that feeling.

"I'm glad everything turned out as well as it did," Diego said when she finished. "I did see Jacinto Santana entering the alcalde's office when I rode into town and hoped that it was truly safe for him to do so."

"Oh, it certainly should be," Victoria said. "Our alcalde seemed more embarrassed than anything else. With two witnesses hearing Señora Sinestra's statements, I don't think he'd dare, especially since I'm sure he's recalled that you have some influential friends in San Diego and wouldn't hesitate to let them know exactly what happened if he persisted in behaving like a fool over this."

"Well, that would be a change," Diego said dryly, "as it didn't stop him from condemning Jacinto Santana in the first place."

"True," Victoria replied. "But now there's far more proof that it was Señora Sinestra's crime." She fixed her eyes on Diego and said softly, "It's a victory. Honestly, it is."

"Yes, I know," Diego said.

He didn't look certain, but then he saw the book that had fallen on the floor and picking it up, asked her to tell him about it. Diego still looked very tense. Victoria wondered what he was thinking about. Was it what had happened in her room? Was he thinking that he'd endangered her then too? Another thought struck her suddenly, something she hadn't worried about for a long time. Was he bothered because of the way she'd kissed him when he was dressed as Zorro? She knew it hadn't been because of the mask but because she'd been afraid and they'd been alone in her bedroom for the first time. However, while they were sitting in her tavern with people outside the room, she couldn't ask him the questions that she really wanted, so Victoria accepted the change of subject though she became more determined to talk to him without disguise as soon as she safely could.

~Z~Z~Z~

The next day, Diego sat in the library of the hacienda feeling rather disgusted with himself. Despite all Victoria's assurance, he still felt guilty for what happened with Sinestra. But what was worse, he felt guilty for how close he'd come to losing control with her in her bedroom. She was tempting enough under normal circumstances, but that night it had been almost more than he could handle. If her arm hadn't bothered her...

Did wearing the mask make him too reckless, too unconcerned for consequences? He wasn't sure. But it _had_ been dangerous enough to have remained as long as he did. Any longer and it could have had fatal consequences for them all. How could he have been so foolish? He sighed as he thought about the conversation that Victoria was going to insist on. He hadn't done anything wrong— beyond rescue a murderess. However, that didn't mean that he wanted to dwell on the odd behavior of the señora. If he was lucky, Victoria would let him get away with a basic retelling. He sighed again. No, he wouldn't be that lucky. He remembered how relentless she'd been about his trip to France. He didn't expect her to be any less now. Not when the woman had tried to kill her. He owed her the full story.

Don Alejandro was still visiting Great Aunt Catalina, and Diego wasn't sure when he would return, though it should be within the next day or two. By the time he got back, everything should be mostly settled, though Diego knew he'd be horrified that Victoria had been nearly killed. At this moment, Diego was relieved that his father didn't know he was Zorro as he didn't think he could handle his father's outrage piled on top of his own guilt.

He tried concentrating on his book, while waiting for Victoria to show up. He knew to expect her, but for once, he wasn't really looking forward to seeing her, especially considering what a blow his self-control had taken, and that with his father gone and Felipe busy elsewhere, there was little likelihood of their conversation being interrupted.

Finally there was a knock on the door. Swiftly crossing the room, Diego opened the door to see Victoria standing there. She was beautiful, as always. He lifted her hand for a kiss, still feeling a bit tense and uncertain around her.

"I'm glad to see you," he said.

She looked around and then up at him with a curious expression. "Is it safe for us to go talk now?" she asked. She seemed more nervous than usual as well.

Diego looked around himself before saying, "Yes, I don't think anyone will look for us for some time." He turned towards the fireplace her hand still in his. There was a look in her eye that bothered him, but he knew they had to talk, and it was better not to delay.

Victoria kept holding onto Diego's hand as they walked down into the cave. When they reached the bottom, Victoria stopped on the second step, letting go of his hand as he turned towards her. Looking in his eyes, she put her hands on his cheeks and kissed him deeply, her hands sliding into his hair as she pulled him closer.

Whatever he'd been expecting when they started for the cave, it wasn't this, and he was too shocked to do anything more than react and react passionately. Almost unconsciously, Diego backed her against the wall, his hands sliding up her sides to hold her high on her waist just barely keeping himself from reaching higher, though he couldn't resist kissing his way down her neck to her shoulders and around the upper edge of her shirt.

Diego let the moment consume him. He took in everything, his blood hammering wildly in his ears, the way she smelled, the way she tasted, the way she tugged at him, almost frantically, trying to draw him in closer and closer. Even though he knew it was wrong, he couldn't help letting his mind carry the two of them away somewhere more intimate, somewhere like his room.

The bare remnants of his self control were not helped with the way her hands held him close or her lips nibbled at his ear. She pulled at his head, her lips sliding across his cheek to his lips for another deep kiss. It was only when he felt Victoria pulling at the buttons of his shirt that he managed to end the kiss and take a step away from her.

"Victoria..." Her name came out as a whisper.

"I'm sorry," she said, eyes dropping, as she sat down on the top step and wrapped her arms around her knees.

Sitting beside her, Diego said, "There's no need to be sorry; it's just that it's very hard for me to behave... to think... when you kiss me like that."

She leaned slightly against him and spoke quietly. "It's hard for me to think too, but..." She looked across the cave. "I didn't want you to think that I only kissed you like that because you were dressed as Zorro."

He couldn't stop the laugh that burst out, and her head snapped around with an offended look. He hastened to explain. "No, querida, it's not you; it's just that I've been wondering if I behaved the way I did because I was wearing a mask. You have always been very tempting, but that night..." He sighed. "I wasn't anything like a gentleman." He smiled a little wryly and carefully took one of her hands in his. "But apparently a mask had nothing to do with it; I wasn't any more of a gentleman a minute ago. In fact, I'd say I was far less of one."

Victoria looked at him with a smile. "Well, my love, I don't think I behaved anything like a lady either." She sighed herself. "I don't suppose this is going to get any easier the closer we get to getting married."

"No, it's not," he replied. "Especially since I don't think I can give up kissing you."

"I would certainly hope not," Victoria said, with determination.

Diego looked down at their hands. "We'll just have to be more careful. In the overall scheme of things, five months isn't so very long." He was trying to sound confident but knew he sounded completely insincere. At the moment, five months felt like an eternity— a very painful, temptation filled eternity. "But as pleasant and as frustrating as that is, I don't think that's the reason we came down here."

"No, we do need to talk," Victoria said. "I'm sorry if I made things awkward."

"I wish I was sorry," Diego said. "I _am_ sorry about getting carried away. I'm never sorry for kissing you." He turned to smile at her. "But for now it's safer to have that talk. I did promise to tell about Zorro's misadventures, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," Victoria said. "But that's not the only thing that we need to talk about."

"Really?" Diego asked. "What else is on your mind?"

"Did you ever find the notes I left?" Victoria asked.

Diego glanced toward the desk. "As a matter of fact, I did, but not until I got back home after seeing you in the tavern yesterday." He'd been so concerned about getting to Santa Paula that he hadn't even noticed them while he was making his change in the cave.

"And by then they were useless," Victoria said evenly. "This has been an unusual week. However, this may not be the last time that you and Felipe are officially out of town while Zorro appears, and I think we need to figure out how I can get information to you without endangering any of us."

"You have a point," Diego said. "I did wish I could have had the chance to talk to you _before_ I'd embarked on that misguided rescue of Señora Sinestra. And I should have thought to check the cave and see if you'd left a message for me."

"Well, you were busy," Victoria said. "And we've never been in this situation before. Why should you expect it?"

"I know how resourceful you are, my love. I certainly should have expected it," Diego said. "So we need a better system. Do you have any suggestions?"

"For information, I thought I could leave my journal in the tavern pantry. I never write anything dangerous, but if you need the information, it would be there."

"Yes, that could help," Diego said. "Perhaps we could work on some kind of basic signals. Something more subtle than Felipe's signs that we could use for any kind of warnings."

"I think that's a good idea. We shouldn't need many as I hope we're not going to have this problem often," Victoria said.

"I certainly hope not as well. It's awkward to pull off," Diego said. "It does help distance the two of us a bit, but it's not ideal. However, we should have a little time at least to settle all the details."

"Good." Victoria smiled at him and put her other hand on top of his. "Now, my fine caballero, it's time for you to tell me all about Zorro's time with Señora Sinestra."

"Since you insist," Diego said reluctantly. Much as he hated the idea, he considered it his penance for being a fool. He was relieved that Victoria hadn't doubted his faithfulness to her. This was one time when he wouldn't have been surprised if she'd been angry with him. He was certainly angry with himself.

"I do insist," Victoria replied. "I want to know if I should have hit that... that... _woman _harder."

"You hit her hard enough, my love," Diego said. He'd been impressed with the strength in that punch.

"But I didn't deal with her attack very well," Victoria said. "I should have handled that better. If you hadn't been there..."

Diego's head dropped as his guilt rose again. "I'm so sorry."

Victoria twisted to face him and reached up to turn his face toward her. "It wasn't your fault, and I didn't say that to make you feel guilty. What I _was_ thinking was that I need some help improving my self defense skills. I need to be able to respond better, and who better than you to teach me?"

Diego looked at her a long moment before responding. He remembered the feeling of panic as he'd seen that woman attacking Victoria. If he'd been a moment later... He tried to erase the thought that if Sinestra had killed Victoria, he would surely have killed her, female or not. "You're right, of course," he finally said. "Much as I'd always like to be at your side, I can't, and I want you to be able to protect yourself as best you can." He recalled Victoria's use of the stool to protect herself and some of the fights he'd seen her in. He also remembered his father telling him what an excellent shot she was. "You have quite a few skills, but I think we can improve them. We'll just have to find the time. Also, I think Felipe's experience will come in handy since he's closer to your height, and well, different sizes require different techniques."

"I'd like that," Victoria said. "We'll find the time. Somehow." Then she looked at him with a smile. "However, right now I'm still waiting for the story of that wicked woman and Zorro. No more distractions."

"No, no more distractions," Diego replied. He proceeded to tell her what happened, trying to be as brief as possible, an effort that was in vain as she was relentless in her pursuit of specific details, though it wasn't as painful as it could have been, as she seemed moved more to pity for him than anger at him.

When she was finally satisfied that she had the whole story, she leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips and whispered, "Now, I don't think I hit her hard enough."

~Z~Z~Z~

Four days later, Señor Ventura insisted he was more than ready to travel and was determined to take Señora Sinestra back to San Diego where she could stand trial for her last murder. De Soto detailed two lancers to accompany them to be sure that nothing happened on the journey. Jacinto Santana had left two days before on the last coach, after he'd been assured that a messenger had already been sent ahead to inform the presidio of the identity of his father's killer.

Diego had spent most of his time in town since the day after he'd "returned" from his trip, and he watched the group leave as he stood on the tavern porch next to Mendoza, who'd been talking about how strange it was that Señora Sinestra was a murderer. He said she'd seemed so lovely and innocent.

Trying to keep things light, especially since he'd fallen for her innocent act himself, Diego said, "You know, Sergeant, I thinks there's a lesson to be learned from all of this. For all the allure of physical beauty, we should remember that it's only skin deep." And in Sinestra's case barely skin deep, as she had a truly horrifying soul. Even yet he didn't understand what had motivated the woman to do all that she had done.

"This is true, Don Diego. That's why I always say, 'What counts is not how a woman looks, but how a woman cooks,'" Mendoza said. Diego did a double take after absorbing what Mendoza said, but before he could come up with anything, Mendoza added, "You know, you are really lucky, Don Diego. Señorita Escalante is not only beautiful but the best cook in the territory as well."

"Not to mention, honest, courageous, forgiving, passionate, and perfect," Diego replied. The woman he loved was safe and for some reason loved him despite his flaws. He looked over at the tavern where he caught a glimpse of Victoria through the open doors, busily attending to her customers.

"Yes, Sergeant, I really am incredibly lucky."

The End

**Next Up:** "They Call Her Annie." I've been so hung up over the last two stories that I have only now figured out what I want to do in relation to this frankly tedious episode, so it may be a while.

**End Notes:**

"A Woman Scorned" is one of the episodes that always bothered me. There are more than a couple of episodes where it seems like they were ticking off story plots without bothering to have them make sense. "A New Lease on Love" was what if Victoria almost married another man, without giving any kind of solid reason why she'd decide that so quickly. Actually, that one might have worked if they'd dropped the guitar playing suitor and had Juan show up right after the talk with Padre Benites and given us some reason why she'd be willing to accept his proposal or if she and Zorro had had a fight. Or something.

But to get back to "A Woman Scorned," which seemed to want to be what if Zorro was drawn to another woman (or maybe what if Victoria thought she was losing Zorro, which admittedly came off better), except that other than that one moment in the plaza where he turned back to speak to her while ignoring Victoria, he never seemed any more than distinctly uncomfortable with Alberta Sinestra's approaches, and his rescue of her seemed to be exactly in the same spirit as his rescue of Jacinto Santana. After all this wouldn't have been the first time someone had impersonated an officer of the law in order to get hold of an otherwise innocent person ("To Be a Man" being a genuine case), so I can't entirely blame him for not wanting to leave her in Ventura's custody. And to top off the confusion for me, while the actress carried off crazy well enough, she certainly didn't come off as a _femme fatale_ except in the literal sense. However, the kiss between Zorro and Victoria at the end was one of the best in the series so at least there is one redeeming feature to the episode, and I couldn't resist keeping the scene in her bedroom, even if the context is different and there's definitely more kissing.

Although the interiors looked quite different, the exterior shots of the windmills in "One Special Night" and "A Woman Scorned" look exactly the same, so that's why they're the same in this story. Victoria also went through more wardrobe changes than seem justified by the apparent passage of time, though there probably could have been an extra day in there somewhere, but for me it didn't work, though that meant poor Diego/Zorro ended up being mostly awake for about three days straight.

I also hope no one minds that I made Señora Sinestra's advances to Zorro a little bit more blatant than in the episode, since he wasn't at all interested in them. Or that Victoria is not jealous but suspicious that Sinestra wants the bounty on Zorro's head, but since here, unlike in the episode, she not only knows who Zorro is, but she and Diego are also only months away from getting married, she has every reason to trust him and more reason to worry about him getting suckered by his chivalrous nature. And I thought Victoria's fainting in the episode was a bit odd actually, so no fainting here and since Ventura heard the confession as well, no real need to bring Zorro into it any further.

I definitely appreciate all reviews, as this is still my most ambitious writing challenge (I have never before tried writing anything this long and complicated), and I always feel the need of reassurance that I'm doing something right here, as I'm trying to balance those stories which are very much based on the episodes (as this one is) with stories that are more about the overarching plot (as the previous one was). After having suffered from writer's block for years, I never expected to get so involved in a project of this magnitude.


End file.
